5 Takeaways from De La Salle's shutout win over Serra

Speed, defense, physicality is a winning combination for De La Salle coach Justin Alumbaugh

De La Salle senior QB Brayden Knight is up and over the top on a 3-yard TD sneak in the fourth quarter of his team's 26-0 win over Serra in San Mateo on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 6, 2025. / Photo by Dennis Lee

SAN MATEO, Calif. — Takeaways from De La Salle High School football’s 26-0 win at Serra. 

Twice is no accident

What we saw in an opening 10-6 home win over Lakeland (Fla.) was backed up certainly on the defensive end as the Spartans recorded the first shutout over a Serra team from Northern California since 2013.

De La Salle, led by a strong front six, along with a fast physical secondary, didn’t allow a defensive TD against Lakeland, meaning that’s eight quarters without giving up a single TD. Spartans’ head coach Justin Alumbaugh credited defensive coordinator Ned Milin with schemes and having his squad in perfect position, as well as inside linebacker Bubba Vargas, whom he called “A True Spartan.” Serra was coming off a 42-point explosion on the same field in a 56-42 loss to Folsom. On Saturday, they managed less than 150 yards and no scores. “We couldn’t do enough against a great defense,” Serra coach Patrick Walsh said. “Collectively their six guys up front are some of the best I’ve seen in many years.”

Turn about, fair  but no fun play

The last time the teams played at Brady Family Stadium, Serra prevailed 28-0. It was De La Salle’s last shutout loss since 2005 and worst shutout loss since 1979 — some historic stuff. The natural reaction is that this was payback and Alumbaugh would rejoice in the turnaround. But quite the contrary.

Yes, he was thrilled with the effort, physicality and win overall, but admits he hates coaching against Walsh because the two are best friends. They talk at least four times a week, Walsh said, regardless if they are playing each other. Nevertheless, the contrast in losing 28-0 and winning 26-0 on the same field was not lost upon Alumbaugh, summing up the 2023 loss this way: “Walking off that field with the ass-kicking they put on us was one of the low moments of my career,” Alumbaugh said. “And that was an outstanding team. That team was better than we were, but not by that much. That was a real disappointing feeling. 

“Today, our kids played their tails off. We didn’t play perfectly. There’s a lot that we need to work on. But our physicality and our effort, if you walk off the field as a De La Salle coach and you saw that physicality and effort, then you’re a happy camper.”

Controlling the controllables

You hear coaches constantly harp on controlling only the controllable. And while the Spartans certainly can work on their focus around penalties — they were flagged eight times in the first half, three that wiped out touchdowns (two by Jaden Jefferson and a 40-yard TD pass from Brayden Knight to speedy Jayden Nichola) — they didn’t let it consume them. They were flagged once in the second half and though

Jefferson in particular was being hampered by the yellow hankie, he didn’t allow it to bother him. He finished with a game-high 92 rushing yards on 14 carries. The CIF State record holder in the 100 meter dash at 10.01 seconds, also played well on the defensive end. “There were a couple plays where Serra guys were in position, but speed is a great gift to have,” Alumbaugh said. “We have some other fast guys. …. But Jaden takes it to another level.” Alumbaugh was frustrated by the calls, but set a good example of not being consumed by the flags that definitely led to a close game that was thoroughly controlled by De La Salle. “It was a touchdown ... .called back. …. touchdown …. called back, so it was a weird first half. My biggest concern was our guys breaking down and letting the air out, but they didn’t do that,” Alumbaugh said. 

De La Salle's talented sophomore running back Jamal Johnson-Lucas capped the game's first drive, a 65-yarder, with a 5-yard TD run on fourth down of his team's 26-0 win at Serra on Sept. 6, 2025 / Photo by Dennis Lee

Serra fast too

The Padres have lots of speed as well and until a terrific misdirection call midway through the fourth quarter turned into a 71-yard touchdown run by third-string RB Brady Smith, they had run down Jefferson and the rest of the Spartans. In particular, junior safety Malakai Taufoou looks like a major college prospect.

The  6-2, 200-pound junior chased down Duece Jones-Drew, a top 2027 prospect himself, on a sweep for a three-yard loss that was particularly impressive. The Padres, who next week travel to national No. 2 St. John Bosco, play a killer nonleague schedule to prepare for the rugged West Catholic Athletic League. “I told the guys before the season that it’s going to be tough and to just keep the eye on the prize (the WCAL title),” Walsh said. When asked to access the WCAL in the early going, Walsh said he’s only really looked at scores. “The only thing I can tell you is no one is playing the schedule we are. I don’t know if that makes us worse, bad, dumb or smart or whatever. It’s hard to compare apples to apples when we’re playing Folsom, De La Salle and St. John Bosco.” 

Brayden Knight scored the first of his two running touchdowns, this one on a 5-yarder in the second quarter of his team's 26-0 victory at Serra in San Mateo on Sept. 6, 2025 / Photo by Dennis Lee

NorCal versus SoCal

I do California high school rankings and had Folsom ahead of De La Salle at No. 5 and the Spartans No. 9. Combined with Folsom getting hammered by No. 3 Mission Viejo on Friday 53-14, De La Salle’s win over Serra and Folsom edging Serra last week, the Spartans sprint right past Folsom as the top team in Northern California.

But do they deserve to be in the Top 10?

Should anyone from NorCal ever be considered in the Top 10? The short answer is yes. With its defense, speed and physical front, De La Salle of course deserves it. But if they stay healthy and continue on this early trend, can they possibly stay with Mater Dei or St. John Bosco or even Mission Viejo or Sierra Canyon, which hasn’t given up a single point in three games? De La Salle, which dominated the state from 2006 to 2015, hasn’t won a state crown since then and haven’t been particularly competitive with the stacked rosters of Bosco and Mater Dei during the last decade. Serra had a three-year run against the juggernauts and the scores of those State Open Division games were 35-0, 45-0 and 44-7.

Hate to pin their hopes of a competitive game on one player, but frankly, if senior QB Brayden Knight can play at his highest level, the Spartans have a chance to make things close. He played well Saturday, scoring on a couple of runs, one on a nifty inside fake and 5-yard run to the outside and the other on a sneak from 3-yards out. He used his 6-3 frame to get over the top. He missed on a couple of deep passes,  but sure showed off a nice arm and some sweet spirals. The Spartans will need to connect on those to really get their offense in full gear. Their defense is already in it.

De La Salle third-string running back Brady Smith finishes off his team's 26-0 win at Serra on Sept. 6, 2025 with a 71-yard touchdown run. / Photo by Dennis Lee