Bellevue vs De La Salle Football 2004 (1of3)

Bellevue, Washington" http://tiny.cc/Bellevue

Bellevue ends De LaSalle's 151-game streak
Saturday, September 4, 2004

By MOLLY YANITY
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

SEATTLE -- De La Salle's streak is over.

Bellevue High, Washington state's 3A three-time defending champion, snapped the Northern California powerhouse's record 151-consecutive win streak with a 39-20 victory Saturday night at Qwest Field in front of 24,987 fans.

De La Salle had not lost a game since falling in the 1991 North Coast Section championship game. The Spartans shattered the nation's longest winning streak at 72 in 1997, going on to more than double it.

Bellevue, however, was not intimidated.

The Spartans got off to a solid start, moving the ball 83 yards down the field to score with relative ease.

But Bellevue running back J.R. Hasty took the first play from scrimmage 74 yards to score.

For the night he rushed for 276 yards and three other touchdowns.

"There were all the Internet polls, the message boards where everyone said (the Spartans) were going to blow us out. We took it to heart. We put in the work and this is the greatest feeling," Bellevue linebacker E.J. Savannah said.

Savannah led the Wolverines' defense with nine tackles.

Bellevue coach Butch Goncharoff made it his team's mantra to "match" De La Salle's off-season conditioning program and, as De La Salle faded away in the second half, he achieved it.

"This is a great feeling. We've worked eight months for this. I don't think we were intimidated coming in and our kids executed," he said. "We've said the strength of this team is our offensive line and it was tonight. They spent more time, more hours than anybody. Even De La Salle."

With 14-year-old sophomore Eric Block making his first high-school start at quarterback, Bellevue didn't attempt a pass the entire game but rushed 54 times for 463 yards.

The Spartans were held scoreless in the second half as Bellevue forced two Kevin Lopina interceptions and a punt in the second half. The rest of the half was eaten up by the Wolverines' dogged ground attack.

"When you're a running team, it does have a wearing effect on you," Goncharoff said.

The end of streak marks just the 15th career loss for De La Salle coach Bob in his storied 26-year career. The five-time USA Today national champions have given up 30 or more points just once in the course of the streak.

Ladouceur took his players to the locker room and was not available for comment.

His quarterback, Kevin Lopina, who secured a scholarship to Oregon State despite tearing his ACL last season, looked rusty, often missing receivers by several yards or getting his teammates twisted around searching for the ball.

He finished the game with 103 yards on 11-of-22 passing and two interceptions.

Eduardo Lopez used a 45-yard scoring run to cap the Spartans' opening drive and it proved to be the only time De La Salle would hold the lead. Lopez led the team with 154 rushing yards.

De La Salle tied the score 13-13 on another Lopez run, this one of 44 yards, but the point-after kick failed.

Bellevue went on to score on a 37-yard Block and a Tim Nienaber kick. The Spartans continued to show life as Garrett Jandegian scored on a 6-yard run, but Hasty answered yet again with a 9-yard run to close the half out at 30-20.

The crowd, which was recorded over the course of the five-game Emerald City Kickoff Classic event, is believed to be the largest to witness a high school football event in Washington.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Bellevue
• vs
• De
• La
• Salle
• Football
• 2004
• the streak
• ends
• Seattle
• Washington
• WA
• Qwest
• Field

[babyman50]

I'm ok with the slo mo. I hate when the camera man celebrates and screws up the shot.

[NightFlight007]

@babyman50 It was the people in front of me who kept celebrating and jumping up. There is a professional version DVD out there for $25

[ayeezhu]

why the fuck do you have to rewind it and then redo it in slow motion? it makes it gay as shit. damn

[NightFlight007]

@ayeezhu Because I shot it - I wanted to and I DID.

[NightFlight007]

Wikipedia: "Bellevue Washington" - the link is under "more info" above.

[bigkillpac]

so is bellevue a college too?

[NightFlight007]

@bigkillpac

There is a community college in Bellevue, that is pushing to become a 4 years school, but no, Bellevue High School is not connected to BCC. I've posted the URL for the Wikipedia page on Bellevue.

[petercom10]

this is probably one of the most important high school football games ever

[BellevueHSfootball]

@averyr18 They are playing @ Mission Viejo against Oaks Christian September 3rd, 2011 in a 3 game event. Also, In 2009 they went TO Texas. So much not not having balls...

[nicoturned13]

im a de la salle fan, but i have to admit de la salle never stood a chance. the other team was way bigger and faster and more talented. usually de la can hang with bigger strong teams with their discipline, but bellevue is just as disciplined and that was de la salles worst team in 15 years, that same team went 8-3-2 that year and tied against a team that my shitty high school beat

[averyr18]

How come Bellevue doesnt have the balls to come play in California?