High School

Big plays, defense carry De La Salle past St. Mary's; Live score recap

For fourth game, Spartans don't allow a touchdown on defense against the Rams missing starting QB Jaden Galvan

Mitch Stephens

De La Salle senior and North Carolina bound RB-DB Jaden Jefferson (15) is arguably the fastest high school football player in the country after setting a state 100-meter record last May in track and field. H was timed at 10.01.
De La Salle senior and North Carolina bound RB-DB Jaden Jefferson (15) is arguably the fastest high school football player in the country after setting a state 100-meter record last May in track and field. H was timed at 10.01. / Dennis Lee

Missing largely their two top defensive players, De La Salle didn't flinch.

For the fourth time in five games, the Spartans' defense didn't give up a touchdown in a 36-7 nonleague home win Friday over Sac-Joaquin Section power St. Mary's.

Cal-bound defensive two-way lineman Mya Telona was ruled out before the game and star sophomore linebacker Landon Miller injured his shin early in the second quarter and never returned. Despite that, the Spartans gave up 121 yards against an offense that averaged better than 40 points and 450 yards per game.

St. Mary's was missing starting quarterback Jaden Galvan, with an ankle injury, and could never get anything going with junior Ronan Carr. UCLA-bound Kenneth Moore III, who piled up more than 100 yards last season against the Spartans, had three catches for no yards.

Meanwhile, the Spartans piled up more than 400 yards, many on long plays, including four touchdowns of longer than 25 yards, led by Duece Jones-Drew, who rushed for two touchdowns. See all the scoring plays below.

PREGAME: Few Northern California high school football teams have given national juggernaut De La Salle (Concord) problems like St. Mary's of Stockton.

In fact, few Northern California teams dare to schedule the Spartans, who once won a national record 151 straight games which inspired a book and Hollynwood Movie, entitled "When the Game Stands Tall."

The visiting Rams, led by WRs, UCLA-bound Kenneth Moore III (22 catches, 323 yards, four touchdowns) and Ivan Huerta (24, 402, 4), RB Diego Hernandez (393 rushing yards, 6 TDs) and QB Jaden Galvan (909 passing yards, 10 TDs), are 3-1 heading into the 7:10 p.m. contest in Concord.

St. Mary's not only has a rare win from a Northern California team over De La Salle (45-35) in 2022 and added three one-score losses since 2012.

De La Salle’s defense is strength but coach Justin Alumbaugh said: “St. Mary’s is very good. Their offense is a major problem.”

The Spartans are led by North Carolina speedster Jaden Jefferson, a running back and cornerbacker, junior running back Duece Jones-Drew, the son of former NFL running back Maurice Jones-Drew, and linebacker Landon Miller, considered one of the top sophomores in the state.

St. Mary's at De La Salle: Live score update - September 26, 2025

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1st Quarter Updates

Pregame: Two big injuries reported before the game by the great Pat O'Rourke and Damin Esper. Starting Rams QB Jaden Galvan is out and junior Ronan Carr will be the starter. De La Salle is missing Mya Telona, a Cal-bound 3-star DL.

De La Salle fumble: After St. Mary's gets one first down and punts it away, De La Salle QB Brayden Knight sprints for 30 yards, but then fumbles it away to Rams. Forced fumble by Landon McClendon and recovered by Micah Mandracken. SM takes over at its own 35.

TOUCHDOWN DE LA SALLE: Beautiful 69-yard connection, Brayden Knight to Dylan Scott. Spartans take 7-0 lead. 6:39 1Q.

BIG GAIN: Knight to Landon Knight 26 yard puts De La Salle at the St. Mary's 35. Late in 1Q. Cook, who missed a game with a leg injury last week, has three quick catches.

TOUCHDOWN DE LA SALLE: Duece Jones-Drew 3-yard run. De La Salle 14, St. Mary's 0. 1:28 1Q.

Total yards: According to Damin Esper, total yards in first quarter: De La Salle 180, St. Mary's 45.

2Q updates

BAD SNAP: Bad punt snap is picked up by De La Salle punter Justin Uribarri in the back of the end zone. He somehow gets away a 12-yard punt and St. Mary's has a short field. A safety might have been better option for De La Salle. St. Mary's takes over on De La Salle 29.

4TH DOWN STOP: St. Mary's gets couple first downs but four tries from the 5 get only 2 yards, the last on a big stop by Emery Speight on a reverse to Moore. De La Salle takes over at its own 2.

DE LA SALLE HOLDS AGAIN: After Rams hold De La Salle 3-and-out and after a short punt, St. Mary's has just 18 yards to go for score. But De La Salle holds again.

JADEN JEFFERSON GONE: Doesn't count. Half of it doesn't count. The speedy RB breaks loose for 79 yards, but he steps out of bounds after 35.

TOUCHDOWN DE LA SALLE!: Jones-Drew with his second touchdown, a 32-yard burst right up the middle. De La Salle leads 21-0 with 1:21 2Q.

HALFTIME: De La Salle 21, St. Mary's 0

3Q updates

PICK 6! Game could flip here. On first play of second half, Mehtaab Bhangu collects tipped pass, returns 28 yards for touchdown for St. Mary's! Landon McClendon Jr., who has been everywhere this game, with QB pressure, Ryan Lozano tips pass. Bhangu does rest. De La Salle 21, St. Mary's 7. 11:45 2Q.

TOUCHDOWN DE LA SALLE!: Spartans respond immediately, all on the ground. Jefferson completes 10-play, 60-yard drive with 10-yard TD run, scooting around right side. De La Salle 28, St. Mary's 7. 7:12 3Q.

4Q Updates

TOUCHDOWN DE LA SALLE! Spartans blessed with stable of RBs. Brady Smith with nifty 27-yard TD run. Bad snap on XP bad, so DLS runs it in. De La Salle 36, St. Mary's 7. 10:36.

FINAL: De La Salle 36, St. Mary's 7

FINAL STATS: Courtesy of Damin Esper: Total yards, De La Salle 402, St. Mary's 121. First downs: De La Salle 19, St. Mary's 7.

Published
Mitch Stephens
MITCH STEPHENS

Mitch Stephens is a senior editor at SBLive Sports for California, a state he's covered high school sports since 1984. He won multiple CNPA and CPSWA writing awards with the Contra Costa Times, San Francisco Chronicle and MaxPreps.com before joining the SBLive staff in 2022. He's covered the beat nationally since 2007, profiling such athletes as Derrick Henry, Paige Bueckers, Patrick Mahomes, Sabrina Ionescu, Jayson Tatum, Chiney Ogwumike, Jeremy Lin and Najee Harris as preps. You can reach him at mitch@scorebooklive.com.

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