De La Salle puts 126-game streak on line

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

•	ON TV KGMB will televise live tonight's St. Louis and Kahuku games 5 & 8 p.m.

That's about how long after the snap it takes for De La Salle's offensive line to explode into the opposing defense. These little explosions, sometimes called "get-off," can explain how the often-undersized Spartans are able to control the line of scrimmage and rip off huge chunks of yardage in an otherwise basic veer option offense.

"The biggest obstacle we've had in preparing for them is trying to simulate the crisp execution that they have and the tempo and speed with which they do it," said St. Louis coach Delbert Tengan, whose Crusaders (2-0) take on De La Salle (1-0) tonight at 8. "That's the hardest part, and we really won't know exactly how quick they are until they take that first snap. If you look at their track record, they usually get off to fast starts and are up 14-0 or 21-0 in the first quarter. That's because it takes teams awhile to get adjusted to their speed."

The Spartans, who will be playing before a live KGMB-TV audience, certainly will need something to counter a big size disadvantage tonight. All nine defensive linemen on St. Louis' roster weigh at least 220 pounds, and seven of them weigh 240 or more.

By comparison, De La Salle's starting offensive line averages 227 pounds. But the Spartans have been undersized before and still found ways to move the ball. Nobody has been able to stop De La Salle during its national-record 126-game win streak, and Tengan said De La Salle coach Bob Ladouceur's 23 years of experience is a big reason for that.

"He has seen it all, he has all the answers," Tengan said. "Teams have tried all kinds of stuff on them, but they just go out and win every time."

De La Salle's defense also faces a test in trying to slow down St. Louis' potent run-and-shoot attack. The Spartans, ranked No. 1 in the nation by USA Today and Student Sports, Inc., rarely see the type of double-slot, vertical passing game the No. 17 Crusaders will present.

Against two strong programs with four-receiver sets in 2000, De La Salle surrendered an average of 268 passing yards and 26 points. The average opponent's score during the 126-game streak is nine points.

"It's always difficult playing against an offense with four receivers, because if you're only thinking about the pass, they can run the ball on you," Ladouceur said. "And it's the same thing if you try to stop the run — then they just throw over you."

The Spartans do have an excellent cornerback in Damon Jenkins, who is considered to be a Division I college prospect. And the secondary in general is considered to be one of De La Salle's strengths.

The Spartans' biggest strength, however, could be their extreme hustle on every single play. More than anything else, that could be the main reason they've gone 126-0 since the 1992 season opener.

"All we ask is that they always give their best effort and play with enthusiasm and passion," Ladouceur said.

Ladouceur acknowledged the streak could be in jeopardy tonight, but that was by design.

"We won't schedule a game just to keep the streak going," he said. "We want to present the kids with challenges, because hopefully that will create memories for them and encourage them to take on tough challenges in the future.

"And this is definitely a challenge."

LIVE TV: Tonight's HHSAA/First Hawaiian Bank Classic will be televised live statewide, KGMB general manager Rick Blangiardi said yesterday afternoon. Blangiardi said he reached a new agreement with Hawai'i High School Athletic Association executive director Keith Amemiya, the Classic's organizer. The original deal struck two weeks ago stipulated that 40,000 tickets had to be sold by the end of yesterday for a live broadcast, and the ticket count was only at about 26,000. But after discussing the situation, Blangiardi and Amemiya agreed to drop that clause. "We're really pleased," Blangiardi said. "We feel at this point the people who want to be there will be there anyway; it won't affect the walk-up sales."

How will St. Louis fare?

KELVIN MILLHOUSE

University of Hawai'i defensive back

Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) Class of 1999, played against De La Salle and Long Beach Poly in 1998

"The Hawai'i guys and the California guys on our team always argue about which state has better football. It is different football. But I'm a California guy, so I guess I have to root for California."

TIMMY CHANG

University of Hawai'i quarterback

St. Louis Class of 2000

"It's going to be as intense as a college game, two powers colliding. De La Salle is a good team on both sides of the ball, and I'm sure they have a good game plan. But the football players here can play; we could play with anybody in the country at this (high school) level."

Tickets

• Mauka and Makai (orange/blue) $24
• Mauka and Makai (red/yellow) $19
• South end zone (all levels) $14
• North end zone (orange) $6
• North end zone (blue/brown/red/yellow) $5
• Stadium box office opens from 9 a.m.

Parking

Aloha Stadium: $2

Alternate parking areas:

• Leeward Community College ($2 shuttle service)
• Kamehameha Drive-In ($2, free shuttle)
• Radford High School ($1, no shuttle)

Shuttles run from 2 to 5 p.m. and from 8 p.m.

Streaks

De La Salle has won a national-record 126 games in a row

Kahuku has won 26

St. Louis has longest Hawai'i streak at 55 (1985-1990)