2014 CIF State Bowl Game, Open Division: De La Salle runs past Centennial

CARSON, Calif. — De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) gave up more points in a football game than it has since legendary Bob Ladouceur took over the program in 1979.

It didn't matter.

The highest-scoring offense in school history bailed out the Spartans against the magnificent offensive powerhouse that is Centennial (Corona, Calif.).

Antoine Custer and Andrew Hernandez combined for 448 yards rushing and seven touchdowns as the Spartans won the CIF State Open Division Bowl championship with a vastly entertaining 63-42 victory Saturday before more than 12,000 fans at StubHub Center.

The game featured five ties, four lead changes and more than 1,100 yards of offense in the highest-scoring, most-yardage Open Division game in state history. It was a fitting way to close a high octane 2014 high school football campaign throughout the country.

While Centennial marched up and down the field behind its tandem quarterback duo of Nate Ketteringham and Anthony Catalano, the dynamic speed and quickness of running back J Taylor and explosive wide receiver Javon Mckinley, the Spartans chewed up yards at will on the ground while winning their sixth bowl championship in nine tries.

See more photos from the game

De La Salle finished with 559 rushing yards on a staggering 69 carries and finished with a state bowl record 595 yards overall.

It was the third De La Salle victory over Centennial in four games between the perennial national powers. It was a huge game for Custer, who missed most of last year's 20-14 bowl game loss to St. John Bosco due to an ankle sprain on the opening kickoff. On Saturday, he was everywhere.

"Winning this game sure feels a whole lot better than losing," De La Salle coach Justin Alumbaugh said. "This team and this group of seniors really deserved it. But Centennial made us work. Man, they made us work."

Custer finished with 31 carries for 268 yards and four touchdowns on runs of 9, 5, 20 and 73 yards.

"It was so hard sitting last year and watching us lose," Custer said. "This was much more like it."

De La Salle, ranked third nationally by MaxPreps, finished 14-0, while Centennial finished 12-3. The Huskies can take some satisfaction in scoring three more points than Bellevue (Wash.), which racked up the most points against a De La Salle team in 2004.

Even though the offenses put on a show, it was a pair of interceptions by linebacker Cameron Lissarrague and fumble recovery by Jonathan Lopez that proved decisive on three consecutive possessions starting late in the third quarter.

"We just needed to make a stop or two for our offense," Lissarrague said. "I'm glad I could make a couple of plays."

The offensive fireworks started immediately and Centennial's had a little more flash.

The Spartans took the opening kickoff and traveled 80 yards in five plays, capped by a 15-yard touchdown run up the middle by Hernandez. It came one play after Custer ripped off a 23-yard gain on the edge.

As easy as the Spartans made it look, the Huskies made it look even easier.

Catalano faked inside on two handoffs, broke right for runs of 25 and 35 yards, the latter a touchdown run to tie it at 7-7 with 8:50 left in the first.

An 89-yard kickoff return by Custer set up a 3-yard touchdown keeper by Chris Vanderklugt and De La Salle was back up for seven plays. A 25-yard run by super scat back JJ Taylor (14 carries, 133 yards) set up a 16-yard TD run by Centennial's other QB Ketteringham, tying the game at 14 midway through the first quarter.

De La Salle actually had to punt on its next possession and Centennial looked that it would too after a Boss Tagaloa sack. But on third-and-17 from the 13, Catalano threw a quick out to superb wideout McKinley, who sidestepped a couple De La Salle defenders and raced 87 yards for a touchdown.

In three series, De La Salle had given up 210 yards, more than it allowed on average per game.

"We didn't handle what they were doing very well in the beginning," De La Salle defensive coordinator Terry Eidson said. "We were sort of shell-shocked. We were hoping to hold them in the 24 to 28-point range. We didn't do that. But we had some gritty kids make some plays in the second half. The offense definitely bailed us out this year. Other times we've bailed them out.

"I'll say this. The people got their money's worth with that game."

The Spartans took a more methodical route on their next drive, going 86 yards on eight plays capped by a Custer 9-yard TD run. But a bad snap led to a failed PAT and Centennial held a 21-20 lead.

The Huskies increased it to 28-20 on a 29-yard strike to McKinley, who was covered perfectly but the 6-2 receiver tipped the ball to himself. The eight-point deficit was the biggest for DLS since last year's state bowl game, one it lost 20-14 to St. John Bosco.

No matter. The Spartans motored right downfield with a 39-yard run by Custer and 23 more by Hernandez, who eventually somersaulted into the end zone on a 3-yard TD run. After his 2-point conversion, the game was tied at 28 with 6:23 left in the half.

De La Salle's defense stiffened and held Centennial on its final two possessions of the half. Meanwhile, Custer capped a 64-yard drive with a 5-yard TD run and De La Salle went into halftime ahead 35-28.

By half, Centennial had 331 yards and De La Salle 307. Custer had 151 yards rushing and Hernandez 124.

The fireworks continued to start the third quarter. Sammonte Bonner got into the act with a 6-yard TD run, to tie the game at 35.

Custer broke off a 20-yard TD run after a beautiful pitch from Vanderklugt, but McKinley ripped off an 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, tying it at 42, the game's fifth tie.

Once again Custer responded, breaking off the right side, breaking a tackle, then scooting 73 yards for a touchdown for DLS to go up 49-42. Alumbaugh had a good feeling Custer was going to have a good game.

"The kid always has a smile on his face, but this week he's been real serious," Alumbaugh said. "I barely recognized him today before the game because he was so serious. He meant business."

Lissarrague made the first big defensive play of the game, intercepting a Ketteringham pass at midfield. After a De La Salle personal foul, Vanderklugt made a great read and rambled 52 yards, setting up Hernandez's third touchdown run, a 2-yard one, giving the Spartans their first two-score lead, 55-42 with 1:58 left in the third.

It was Lissarrague, a 6-2, 226-pound linebacker, who did it again on Centennial's next possession with a leaping interception. De La Salle didn't score on the possession, but chewed up enough clock to hang on.

Devin Asiasi, one of the nation's top junior tight ends and defensive ends, punctuated the win with an 11-yard run with 1:31 left. He was forced into play at quarterback after Vanderklugt injured his hand three minutes earlier.

Taylor said there was no shame in losing to De La Salle.

"Nobody thought we were even going to get here," Taylor said. "We proved a lot of people wrong."

De La Salle 63, Centennial 42

De La Salle  14  21  20  8  — 63
Centennial  21    7  14  0  — 42

First quarter
DLS — Hernandez 15 run (Rodriguez kick), 9:12
C — Catalano 35 run (Jake Perez kick), 8:50
DLS — Vanderklugt 2 run (Rodriguez kick), 7:22
C — Ketteringham 16 run (Perez kick), 5:41
C — McKinley 87 pass from Catalano (Perez kick), 1:45

Second quarter
DLS — Custer 9 run (rush failed), 10:54
C — McKinley 25 pass from Ketteringham (Perez kick), 8:42
DLS — Hernandez 3 run (Hernandez rush), 6:23
DLS — Custer 5 run (Rodriguez kick), 1:55

Third quarter
C — Bonner 5 run (Perez kick), 9:18
DLS — Custer 20 run (Rodriguez kick), 5:20
C — McKinley 92 kickoff return (Perez kick), 5:07
DLS — Custer 73 run (Rodriguez kick), 3:58
DLS — Hernandez 2 run (Rodriguez kick), 1:55

Fourth quarter
DLS — Asiasi 12 run (Custer run), 1:31

Individual statistics
Rushing
DLS — Custer 31-273, Hernandez 26-175, Vanderklugt 5-64, Anderson 4-27, Asiasi 3-25. C — Taylor 14-133, Catalano 12-89, Ketteringham 8-77, Bonner 1-5.

Passing
DLS — Vanderklugt 3-4-0-35, Fulton 1-1-0-1. C — Catalano 5-10-1-172, Ketteringham 5-9-1-52, Bankehead 1-1-0-6.

Receiving
DLS — Hernandez 1-19, Mayer 1-8, Phillips 1-8, Harvey 1-1. C — McKinley 6-153, Bankehead 2-62, Taylor 2-9, Ketteringham 1-6.

Tackles
DLS — Wiley 10, Lissarrague 8, Brown 7. C — Brambaugh 20, Ulloa 10, Bynum 8, Stewart 8.

Team statistics
First downs: De La Salle 30, Centennial 23
Rushing attempts-yards: DLS 69-559, C 35-304.
Passes: DLS 4-5-0, C 11-20-2
Passing yards: DLS 36, C 230
Total yards: DLS 595, C 534
Fumbles-lost: DLS 2-0, C 1-1
Penalties: DLS 9-71, C 4-43
Possession: DLS 33:14, C 14:40