7 takeaways from De La Salle's defensive victory over Lakeland in California-Florida showdown

Two storied programs combine to give up just one offensive touchdown and 372 total yards in an old-fashioned defensive stalemate showcased by two exceptional broadcasts

Duece Jones-Drew (21) goes in for winning touchdown with 2:40 remaining in De La Salle's gritty 10-6 home win over Lakeland (Fla.) Aug. 29 in Concord (Calif.). / Photo by Dennis Lee

CONCORD, Calif. — Opening high school football night in much of Northern California delivered some big hits in the premier game. 

What the game Friday between two storied national programs Lakeland (Fla.) and De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) lacked in scoring and big offensive plays made up for in defense as the host team escaped with a 10-6 victory thanks to a 79-yard drive, capped by a 6-yard touchdown run by Duece Jones-Drew with 2:40 remaining in the fourth quarter. 

It was the only offensive touchdown of the game. 

From there, as they did all night, the Spartans’ defense held not just once, but twice, to preserve their first win ever against a Florida opponent. They had lost three previous games to Sunshine State foes, including to Lakeland in 2009, 31-30, a game that went into overtime. That game was also in Northern California, but vastly different in terms of offensive fireworks.  

Lakeland, the nine time Florida State champions with two state crowns in the last three years, fell to 1-1. De La Salle, with a California record seven state championships (the state has only been playing them in modern history since 2006), improved to 1-0. It wasn't easy.

Here are seven takeaways from Friday’s game that featured just 372 total yards, 200 by the victorious Spartans. 

1. “WATCH THE BALL” 

From the game’s first offensive play, a Lakeland parent screamed from the sidelines “Watch the Ball,” which elicited some amusement from writers on the sideline. Could there be more obvious words of encouragement/sideline coaching? It’s a reminder more associated with a parent at a Little League game. Turns out, the fan was spot on and was repeated often from the Lakeland sideline as the Dreadnaughts were flagged seven times (of their 11 penalties) for encroachment. There were four key offsides during De La Salle’s remarkable 99-yard, 25-play drive to end the second quarter that resulted in a 25-yard field goal by Justin Uribarri to give the Spartans a 3-0 halftime lead. 

De La Salle kicker Justin Uribarri boots 25-yard field goal to cap a 25-play, 99-yard drive to give Spartans a 3-0 lead over Lakeland on Aug. 29, 2025 in Concord, Calif. / Photo by Dennis Lee

2. DOUBLE COVERAGE

If the work in both teams’ secondary wasn’t thorough enough, honestly I can’t imagine there being better streaming coverage of any coverage supplied by four of the best broadcast journalists I know personally and benefit from with their expansive knowledge. Watch either or both of these from the regular/home team of De La Salle, play-by-play’s Pat O’Rourke and color man man Damin Esper with De La Salle TV/NFHS Network or the MaxPreps National Game of the Week with Jeff Kurtz (play-by-play) and the popcorn man himself, Zack Poff (color). Seriously, folks, besides super inside, constant facts, stats and color, the camera angles, replays are about as professional as you’ll see at a high school sporting event. 

Lakeland senior linebacker Zephaniah Rogers with a stop on De La Salle quarterback Brayden Knight during the Spartans' 10-6 win over the visiting Flordia school on Aug. 29, 2025. / Photo by Dennis Lee

3. SPEED FILLS 

Both teams are filled with speedy roster, but De La Salle had noted that this may be its fastest team, led by the nation’s fastest high school football player in Jaden Jefferson, who broke the California 100-meter record at 10.01 seconds in last spring’s state meet. All Jefferson’s speed and his team’s was negated by a thoroughly fast and equally important Lakeland sure-tackling defense, led by four-star linebacker Malik Morris, who is headed to Florida. The Lakeland secondary was particularly aggressive and filled gaps fast to make absolutely in-their-track tackles, limiting Jefferson to just 31 yards in 11 carries. Jefferson cramped up throughout the second half, most notably on a bad pitch from quarterback Brayden Knight that he couldn’t handle. For the second straight game, speedy OLB Ziggy Riley picked up the loose ball and sprinted 71 yards for a touchdown, giving Lakeland a 6-3 lead midway through the third quarter. 

“I had a bad practice week, but I turned it around tonight,” Riley said. “We have three tackle stations every day in practice and it paid off. … Once I saw the ball free and didn’t hear a whistle and you play until the whistle blows. Scoop and score.” 

Ziggy Riley 70 fumble return. Lakeland takes 6-3 lead. 506 3Q pic.twitter.com/NVoAO6xGi1

— Mitch Stephens (@MitchBookLive) August 30, 2025

Said De La Salle coach Justin Alumbaugh: “That’s a great team and I’m not surprised - their defense really flies around. We’ll be hard-pressed to see a team that close as fast as those guys.” 

4. FINAL PERSONAL TOUCH

Jones-Drew, whose dad Maurice played most of his professional career in Florida for Jacksonville, said before the game that it was somewhat personal. He had a personal connection with the state. With a banged up secondary, Jones-Drew not only led the team with 23 carries for 81 yards, but he played solid at cornerback. “He never left the field,” Alumbaugh said. “We had like seven secondary guys out either due to injuries (before the game) or cramping up. It was like a Mash unit out there. But Duece was awesome. He came through huge for us.” Jones-Drew, whose dad is an assistant for the Spartans, told Nathan Canilao: “I know going into the game that it was going to be hard because a lot of people were injured. … You have to give the Spartan effort every time. I’m not going to take a play off. I’m going to come in here and give it my hardest no matter who it is.” 

Duece Jones-Drew 8-yard TD run after 39-yard pass from Knight to Cook. De La Salle leads Lakeland 10-6. 2:38 4A pic.twitter.com/XDnwnlubNp

— Mitch Stephens (@MitchBookLive) August 30, 2025

5. GOOD TIMING

The Spartans basically had two drives all night, to end the first half and the game-winning drive that was keyed on a pretty 38-yard pass from Knight to tight end Landon Cook to the Lakeland 6 with less than 3 minutes to go. “It was gratifying to see our guys play and play with guts,” Alumbaugh said. “We were able to walk away from the field with a win. … We finally looked like we wanted to play some offense (laugh) on the final drive. Those guys clutched up when we needed them. I’d rather us not have to clutch up in the fourth quarter but I’m happy we did, when we did. You wanna see your kids respond to adversity and not crumble or panic or be afraid to make a mistake. They were out there trying to win the game and that’s what we train them to do and want to see in the program.” 

Lakeland defensive back Christopher Cresser (26) and his teammates did a great job containing North Carolina-bound speedster Jaden Jefferson (15) all night in De La Salle's 10-6 home win over Aug. 29, 2025. / Photo by Dennis Lee

6. SOPHOMORE SENSATION

The MaxPreps Game of the Week crew picked De La Salle sophomore linebacker Landon Miller as the Player of the Game and for good reason. The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder pressured Lakeland QB Joaquin Kavouklis (10 of 21, 91 yards) into hurried throws all night and was also superb in coverage. He also helped totally shut down Lakland’s running attack (27 carries, 80 yards). Miller started for De La Salle as a freshman. He doesn't show a ton of emotion, he just makes play after play after play.

Sophomore LB Landon Miller - who else - with 4th down play. Should be ball game. DLS 10, Lakeland 6. 1:53 4Q pic.twitter.com/9zKoCNsJsh

— Mitch Stephens (@MitchBookLive) August 30, 2025

7. BIG-PICTURE TRIP

Besides playing one of the top teams in California, the Dreadnaughts really experienced the San Francisco Bay Area, arriving on Tuesday, making it a four-day adventure. The team went into San Francisco — a 20-mile venture West from Concord — and experienced Alcatraz, Pier 39 and the Golden Gate Bridge, among many stops. 

“It was a good trip,” Riley said. “We experienced a lot of art and major things around here. We learned about a lot of famous people in the area and history. It was fun. Even though we’re heading back home with an ‘L’ it was great to come out and have a great time.”

Asked his impressions of California, Riley said: “I think it’s good out here, but I can’t mess around with the weather. I can’t wait to get back to Florida.”