DLS in for devil of a time this week

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Oct 5, 2004

BECAUSE WE ARE high school football junkies -- not to mention have no life -- we at The Tower spent our Friday night/Saturday morning watching the Mission Viejo-Long Beach Poly showdown on TV. And after seeing the Diablos manhandle Poly for a 41-14 victory, it's clear De La Salle (1-2-1) has its hands full on Saturday night when Mission Viejo (4-0) comes to Concord. The game will be played at DLS. It's just too bad Mission Viejo's 41-game winning streak was halted in last year's Division II championship game, and the Spartans' national- record 151-game run ended in the opener against Bellevue High (Wash.) or this game would be even bigger. For those who grew up in Southern California, Mission Viejo is known for producing elite swimmers, not football players. But the Diablos, ranked No.3 in the USA Today poll, have become a gridiron power under coach Bob Johnson, winning two of the last three Southern Section Division II titles. Johnson, who has a career record of 188-71, runs the prestigious Elite 11 Quarterback Camp and is the father of former Raiders quarterback Rob Johnson. He also tutored Bengals QB Carson Palmer as a seventh-grader. The Diablos have outscored the likes of Los Alamitos, Mater Dei, Huntington Beach Marina and Poly 160-42 and feature four of the top 25 seniors in the state. Senior quarterback Mark Sanchez transferred before his junior year from Santa Margarita after coach Jim Hartigan left to take over at Clovis West and has committed to USC. Kevin Bemoll is one of three 300-pounders on the Diablos' offensive line and has given a verbal to Ohio State. Defensive ends Nick Reed (6- foot-2, 240) and Ryan Williams (6-5, 240) are headed to Oregon and Ohio State, respectively. The duo combined for 44 sacks last season, including a whopping 27 by Reed. Oh yeah, then there's the Diablos' juniors. Tight end Konrad Reuland, who is 6-6, made a great grab in the end zone against the Jackrabbits, and fullback Chane Moline ("The Train") is an absolute beast. He is 17, but looks more like 27 with his beard and 230-pound frame. He scored twice against Poly and rushed for 201 yards, including a 38-yarder in which he dragged about nine players an extra 10 yards. Even more impressive was the Mission Viejo defense, which flies to the ball and is as physical as any high school team in recent memory. Even when Poly's All-America wide receiver Desean Jackson scored in the fourth quarter, he took a shot from three Diablo defenders. De La Salle is no stranger to facing teams that were supposed to be too big, too fast and too strong. But after seeing Mission Viejo, the Spartans could be in for a long night.

Running down a dream

The Oakland boys cross country team continues to flex its muscle as the Wildcats won the large schools race No.1 at the Artichoke Invitational Saturday at Half Moon Bay High.

With so many schools entered, the large school division had to be divided into two races, but the Wildcats scored 74 points to easily outdistance St. Francis, Los Gatos, Aragon and Bellarmine Prep.

Thomas Dileo was third on the 2.25-mile course in a time of 12:16. He was followed by Albert Chan (eighth, 12:27), John Cheng (15th, 12:49), Tu Vo (23rd, 13:00) and Paul Cheng (31st, 13:08). In addition, Tim Saephanh was 39th in 13:18 and Jimmy Dileo finished 53rd (13:37) out of 116 competitors.

James Logan's Yosef Ghebray won race No.2 in a course-record time of 11:24, breaking his brother Giliat's mark of 11:31 set in 2001.

Oakland's girls were led by Jessica Phuong, who finished 14th in 14:53, and Lauren Lok (43rd, 15:38).

Oakland opens the Oakland Athletic League cross country season Oct.13 at Joaquin Miller Park against Skyline in what should be a battle between the top two teams in the league.

Byrd homecoming

Oakland's football team, which is off to its best start since 1999 at 4-0, meets Tennyson (2-2) at 7 p.m. Thursday at Sunset Field in Hayward. The game marks a return to Hayward Area Athletic League territory for Wildcats coach Clyde Byrd, who was the track coach and junior varsity football coach at San Lorenzo before coming to Oakland in 2003.

By the way, for any fans attending the game, be sure to hit the snack bar, which is gaining a reputation throughout the area for its teriyaki rice bowls and other treats.

View From the Tower is a weekly column compiled by staff writer David Schoen. The Tower can be reached by e-mail at

mailto:dschoen@angnewspapers.com

by phone at (510) 208-6463 or by fax at (510) 208-6477.