Jaden Jefferson, De La Salle too explosive for San Ramon Valley

Given that De La Salle beat San Ramon Valley by seven touchdowns three weeks ago, a rematch seemed unnecessary.

But the North Coast Section requires that De La Salle needs a first-round playoff opponent, and the unlucky spot this season went to SRV.

The first punch happened quickly.

Jaden Jefferson returned the opening kickoff 53 yards. After a false start, Duece Jones-Drew, in his first action in weeks, scored on a 35-yard run.

One play in, top-seeded De La Salle had an advantage that kept widening as the opening half unfolded.

The Spartans ultimately led by four touchdowns at halftime as they cruised at home to a 42-0 victory in an NCS Open/Division I game.

Next week, De La Salle (11-0) will play second-seeded Pittsburg or seventh-seeded Liberty for the Open Division championship. The loser of that game will drop to the section’s Division I final the following weekend.

De La Salle, which will be seeking its 33rd consecutive section title, doesn’t plan on falling.

The unquestioned top team in Northern California this season was hardly flawless in the first half Friday. Penalties extended drives in a negative direction. But the Spartans scored touchdowns on four of their first five possessions to take a commanding lead into the locker room.

Emery Speight made it 14-0 when he caught a 14-yard pass from Brayden Knight in the corner of the end zone.

Jefferson then stretched the margin to 21-0 when he sprinted 53 yards up the middle for a touchdown, looking every bit like the state’s 100-meter champion and record-holder that he is.

The sprinter’s second touchdown run of the game – and 10th of the season – covered only five yards and completed the first-half scoring.

Jefferson scored the first points of the second half on a 35-yard run that made it 35-0 with 8:14 left in the third quarter.

Jack Dimalanta’s 7-yard run stretched the lead to 42-0.

Cameron Shepherd ended San Ramon Valley’s best scoring chance with an interception in the end zone late in the fourth quarter.

The victory improved DLS’s all-time record over SRV to 27-0-1. The Spartans are 282-0-1 against NCS opponents since their last loss within the section, to Pittsburg in 1991.

SRV, the eighth seed, finished 6-5.