De La Salle football coach Justin Alumbaugh likes to reward his seniors with high-profile regular-season matchups, a challenging task in the coronavirus era given that many top national programs are playing this fall while California teams are waiting until January to get started.
Who’d be available this winter?
Turns out, the team that beat De La Salle for the Open Division state championship last December had an opening.
St. John Bosco of Bellflower will play host to De La Salle on Jan. 8, a matchup made possible because the teams had to do schedule makeovers when the California Interscholastic Federation announced in July that fall sports would be postponed until January.
“It’s a great opportunity,” Alumbaugh said. “And you know what it is, too? It’s something to look forward to.”
If the coronavirus cooperates — no sure thing, obviously — the game will be the fourth between the teams since 2013. Bosco has won the previous three, by six, 23 and 21 points.
In his team’s original schedule, Alumbaugh had scheduled a Texas-sized showdown at Houston powerhouse North Shore. The game would have been played in late August and aired on ESPN.
Now, DLS will get another shot against a Bosco program consistently ranked among the nation’s best under coach Jason Negro.
“This has been obviously hard for everyone,” Alumbaugh said. “But to be a senior in high school right now, that’s a real challenge, especially in the situation that we’re in. We as a coaching staff felt that we owed it to them. They were originally supposed to be going to Texas.
“Our kids are still out there working. They’re working hard. We felt like we owed them a great opportunity. We have a great relationship with coach Negro. He and I were just talking. Why not? It sounds awesome, to start the season off with a bang. Everybody wants to get out there and is champing at the bit.”
When the teams met in December for the Open Division state championship, Bosco’s DJ Uiagalelei threw for 398 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 64 yards and a touchdown to lead his team to a 49-28 victory.
Uiagalelei now plays for Clemson.
Alumbaugh said he remains cautiously optimistic that high school football will be played this winter.
“We’re moving forward,” he said. “The county is opening up a little bit. Our workouts have been able to get a little more challenging. Hopefully, we’ll be able to push some weights pretty dang quick. But it is a bit of a rollercoaster.”
NCS update
The North Coast Section has moved up its practice start date for the winter season from Dec. 14 to Dec. 7, hoping to avoid conflicts with final exams.
“That was a good decision,” Alumbaugh said. “There are so many schools that are going to be in finals. We’re theoretically going to fit in the normal amount of practice. It just creates some flexibility for the coaches and the administration and the teachers to work around finals and not put added pressure on the kids during finals.”
COMMITTED. 🐻 pic.twitter.com/Lsd8m9c6S2 — KJEO . ✞ (@ka1ebelarmsorr_) October 3, 2020
Cal-bound
Moreau Catholic linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr is the third high-profile Bay Area high school product from the Class of 2021 to commit to Cal, joining Kennedy-Richmond tight end Jermaine Terry and Liberty defensive end Akili Calhoun. Elarms-Orr committed last weekend.
Football: Jan. 8 games
Many teams have not updated their schedules on MaxPreps. But among those that have, here are a few matchups worth noting:
Serra at Pittsburg
Cardinal Newman at San Leandro
Rancho Cotate at Las Lomas
Moreau Catholic at Campolindo
Oak Grove at Los Gatos
Mitty at Palma
St. Ignatius at Palo Alto
St. Francis at San Benito
DLS’s football schedule
Jan. 8 at St. John Bosco
Jan. 15 vs. Elk Grove
Jan. 22 at St. Francis
Jan. 29 vs. Folsom
Feb. 5 Open
Feb. 12 vs. St. Mary’s-Stockton
Feb. 19 Open
Feb. 27 at California
March 6 vs. San Ramon Valley
March 13 vs. Amador Valley
March 20 at Clayton Valley Charter
