December 15th 2024.
In the CIF Open Division state championship on Saturday, De La Salle faced off against powerhouse Mater Dei-Santa Ana, a team loaded with talented future college football players. Many predicted a one-sided game, especially when Mater Dei went into halftime with a 23-point lead. De La Salle seemed to be just another overmatched opponent. But the Spartans were not ready to give up just yet.
With determination and grit, De La Salle made a comeback in the third quarter, led by quarterback Toa Faavae and running backs Derrick Blanche and Dominic Kelley. They drove down the field for a 65-yard touchdown, followed by a one-yard sneak from Faavae. The momentum continued with a 41-yard touchdown run from Faavae and a 2-point conversion from Kelley, bringing the score to 23-15.
But Mater Dei was not to be outdone. Their star player, Jordan Davison, responded with a 15-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, followed by another touchdown to secure the victory. Despite their valiant efforts, De La Salle lost their seventh consecutive state championship game.
The game started off strong for Mater Dei, with Davison scoring a two-yard touchdown on their first drive and Gavin Honore catching a 90-yard touchdown from Washington commit Dash Beierly. The Monarchs dominated the first quarter, outgaining De La Salle 232 to negative-3. Even in the second quarter, aside from a goal-line stand by De La Salle, the game seemed to be going in Mater Dei's favor.
De La Salle's defense, led by Oregon commit Nasir Wyatt and edge-rusher Shaun Scott, managed to force a turnover on downs and even a safety. But Mater Dei's Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, a Bay Area native, took advantage of a defensive mistake and scored a 21-yard touchdown reception right before halftime. De La Salle went into the locker room down 23-0.
The Spartans had three weeks to prepare for this game, having defeated Pittsburg in the North Coast Section Open Division title game. However, just like Serra, who had reached the previous three state Open finals, De La Salle was unable to beat their Southern California opponent. Mater Dei had seven of the Top 100 prospects in California's class of 2025, and their entire team is expected to play at the highest level in college football.
De La Salle had a strong team with several players destined for Division I programs, but they were no match for Mater Dei. After four consecutive victories over Mater Dei in the late 80s and early 2000s, De La Salle has now suffered three straight losses to the modern-day Monarchs. In 2017 and 2018, Mater Dei beat De La Salle in the CIF Open Division state championship games, with scores of 52-21 and 35-21.
Despite the loss, De La Salle can still be proud of their 12-1 season and their determination to reach the state final. The Spartans will continue to strive for their first state championship since 2015.
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