PLEASANT HILL – Dominic Kelley’s tackle-breaking 35-yard touchdown run through the Pittsburg defense gave De La Salle the spark it needed to capture the program’s 32nd consecutive North Coast Section title.
“I broke through that tackle and it was just green grass,” Kelley said. “I did it for my teammates because we want to go to a state championship.”
Having played in a constant deluge at Diablo Valley College, Kelley’s touchdown with 7:46 left on the clock gave the Spartans a lead they would not relinquish in the Concord program’s 10-7 victory.
“That was a great game between two great teams,” De La Salle coach Justin Alumbaugh said. “Both teams played their tails off and both teams made mistakes. It could have gone either way.”
Pittsburg had led 7-3 for the majority of the game after Jamar Searcy ran for a 10-yard touchdown on the first play of the second quarter. But with multiple chances to extend the lead in the third and early fourth, Pittsburg was unable to drive home the dagger.
“The rain was a factor as we got going and the rain stayed consistent as we got in the red zone those three times,” Pittsburg coach Charlie Ramirez said. “We were resilient, and did a good job offensively and defensively. The ball just bounced in their direction at the end.”
Pittsburg’s Jamar Searcy #28 rushes for.a first down against De La Salle’s Ant Dean #12 in the first quarter of the NorCal Open football championship, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
Kelley led all rushers with 171 yards and Derrick Blanche had 76 yards on the ground as De La Salle – which did not complete a pass – ran for 298 yards. Searcy ran for 123 yards, and Pitt quarterback Marley Alcantara threw for 78 yards and had a number of drive-saving scrambles in the second half of De La Salle’s narrowest NCS title victory since the streak began in 1992.
De La Salle will be the NorCal representative in the state Open Division title game. As the loser of the Open championship, Pittsburg will play San Ramon Valley in the NCS Division I title game next week.
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