North Carolina-bound Jaden Jefferson rushes for 3 TDs, leads De La Salle to NCS first-round shutout win

Spartans record third shutout of season, fifth time their defense doesn't allow a touchdown in a romp over San Ramon Valley

De La Salle junior speedster Jaden Jefferson if off to the races on his way on a 43-yard touchdown run in the third quarter of the Spartans 39-10 win over Serra in Week 2 of the 2024 season. On Friday, Jefferson had three touchdown runs and 108 yards rushing on seven carries in the Spartans' 42-0 win over San Ramon Valley. / Photo: Dennis Lee

It was another big night for Jaden Jefferson, and another shutout performance from his team's defense.

The North Carolina-bound two-way star returned the opening kickoff 56 yards setting the tone for another impressive outing from the speedy back, who set a state 100-meter track and field record last year by running a 10.01-second race en route to a CIF state victory.

Jefferson had rushing touchdowns of 53, 5 and 35 yards and finished with seven carries for 108 yards as top seed De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) rolled to a 42-0 North Coast Section Open Division victory over San Ramon Valley.

The Spartans (11-0), ranked fourth in the state by High School on SI, now face 22nd-ranked Pittsburg (10-1), which defeated Liberty 42-18, in the Open Division championship game next week. The loser of that game advances to the NCS D1 championship.

Jefferson's opening kickoff return set up a 35-yard touchdown run by Duece Jones-Drew, who had missed three straight games with a leg injury.

Brayden Knight (11 of 15, 104 yards), who has been razor sharp for most of the season, made it 14-0 with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Emery Speight. Jefferson then scored on three consecutive possessions. His 35-yard touchdown run made it 35-0 and capped a 3-play, 59-yard drive to start the second half.

A 7-yard touchdown run from Jack Dimalanta closed out the scoring with 4:19 left in the third quarter.

De La Salle, which hasn't lost a NCS game since 1991, finished with 429 yards to 166 for the Wolves, who finished 6-5 on the season. San Ramon Valley made a late drive inside the De La Salle 5, but freshman Cameron Shepherd made an interception in the end zone.

De La Salle had a season high seven sacks to preserve the Spartans third shutout on the season. Two other games the defense did not allow a touchdown. De La Salle won its 32nd consecutive NCS title last season with a 10-7 win over Pittsburg, which went on to win its fourth straight Division 1 title the following week.

If De La Salle prevails next week, it will almost assuredly be picked to represent North California in the CIF Open Division game. If that's the case, the team will have a 22-day break.