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Antioch, De La Salle coaches relish TV game
Antioch head coach John Lucido vividly recalls the last time his Panthers played De La Salle-Concord.
“I was the defensive coordinator then,” he said.
Lucido can largely erase that memory 8 p.m. Friday — in front of a national-television ESPNU audience — when the ninth-ranked Panthers (3-1) visit the top-ranked Spartans (3-1) at Owen Owens Field.
De La Salle coach Justin Alumbaugh hopes to wipe out more recent history, a stinging 23-21 home defeat last week to East (Salt Lake City, Utah) when the Spartans fumbled twice in the red zone and gave up more than 500 yards.
Even that 2004 team, which finished 8-3-2 and had the program’s national-record 151-game win streak snapped, didn’t allow a combined 977 yards in two consecutive games as the 2016 Spartans have done.
“Our offensive and defensive lines have played undisciplined, been out of position and without physicality,” Alumbaugh said.
The matchup between one of the nation’s premier programs and the country’s top recruit is why ESPN approached the schools about televising the game.
The offense (46 per game), behind 942 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns from Harris, has been just fine.
Said Alumbaugh, who is led offensively by junior tailback Kairee Robinson and senior quarterback Obel Ordaz: Our offense could be our best defense.
Sophomore quarterback William Karnthong (675 yards, nine touchdowns) and senior receiver Isaiah Dunn (9 catches, 207 yards, 5 TDs) have been a strong combination for Antioch, which has not played a game on national television.
The Panthers feature seven players who have received college offers.
“This is a great opportunity to play on ESPN and upset one of the top teams in the country,” Lucido said.
De La Salle has played countless nationally televised games, but for 30 first-year varsity players, this is also something new.
“We’ve always de-emphasized the brighter lights and just tried to focus on the game and opponent,” Alumbaugh said.
East Bay Athletic League title could be decided early in this superb matchup.
In a new offering featured on SFGate.com, The Chronicle will be live streaming several high school football games each week.
More...
Antioch head coach John Lucido vividly recalls the last time his Panthers played De La Salle-Concord.
“I was the defensive coordinator then,” he said.
Lucido can largely erase that memory 8 p.m. Friday — in front of a national-television ESPNU audience — when the ninth-ranked Panthers (3-1) visit the top-ranked Spartans (3-1) at Owen Owens Field.
De La Salle coach Justin Alumbaugh hopes to wipe out more recent history, a stinging 23-21 home defeat last week to East (Salt Lake City, Utah) when the Spartans fumbled twice in the red zone and gave up more than 500 yards.
Even that 2004 team, which finished 8-3-2 and had the program’s national-record 151-game win streak snapped, didn’t allow a combined 977 yards in two consecutive games as the 2016 Spartans have done.
“Our offensive and defensive lines have played undisciplined, been out of position and without physicality,” Alumbaugh said.
The matchup between one of the nation’s premier programs and the country’s top recruit is why ESPN approached the schools about televising the game.
The offense (46 per game), behind 942 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns from Harris, has been just fine.
Said Alumbaugh, who is led offensively by junior tailback Kairee Robinson and senior quarterback Obel Ordaz: Our offense could be our best defense.
Sophomore quarterback William Karnthong (675 yards, nine touchdowns) and senior receiver Isaiah Dunn (9 catches, 207 yards, 5 TDs) have been a strong combination for Antioch, which has not played a game on national television.
The Panthers feature seven players who have received college offers.
“This is a great opportunity to play on ESPN and upset one of the top teams in the country,” Lucido said.
De La Salle has played countless nationally televised games, but for 30 first-year varsity players, this is also something new.
“We’ve always de-emphasized the brighter lights and just tried to focus on the game and opponent,” Alumbaugh said.
East Bay Athletic League title could be decided early in this superb matchup.
In a new offering featured on SFGate.com, The Chronicle will be live streaming several high school football games each week.
More...