By Brad D. Bates
C & G Sports Writer

WARREN — It may have taken the Warren De La Salle football team more than a quarter to find the end zone Nov. 7 against Grosse Pointe North, but after that, the Pilots made up for lost time.

Senior quarterback Josh Sinagoga’s 35-yard touchdown strike to senior wide receiver Casey Goodman at 8:43 in the second quarter of the Division 2 district final at Warren Fitzgerald was just the beginning of a dominant 31-6 win.

“We thought we had to stop the run, and we did that early,” De La Salle coach Paul Verksa said of his game plan against North.

“They threw three or four more times than they did all year, so I don’t think they felt they could run the ball after we stuffed them early. We took what they do best away and had some success running the ball ourselves.”

The Pilots totaled four touchdowns in all, with senior Chet Privett and junior DeAngelo Parris rushing for one score apiece and Sinagoga connecting with senior Jim Martinez for a 2-yard touchdown. Prior to the touchdowns, senior kicker Andrew Stebens booted a 26-yard field goal at 4:27 in the first quarter.

De La Salle, which averages 33 points per game, had its latest offensive explosion against a North defense that had allowed an average of 10 points per game, third best in the Macomb Area Conference.

“We’re a physical team, and I think we matched up well with them,” said Privett, a Sterling Heights resident. “Coach Verksa says to keep our pads low and run hard. Three-and-a-half yards is a good play, and anything more is a bonus.”   

With Privett and Parris running the ball behind the Pilots’ line, made up of seniors Jordan King, Richie Sciuto and Brad Neaton, and juniors Steve O’Shell and Joe Biernat, De La Salle was able to keep the Norsemen’s defense on the field with touchdown drives of 82, 75, 32 and 60 yards.

“We may not be tall, but we’re strong,” Verska said of his line, which averages 232 pounds per player. North’s defensive front averages close to 275 pounds a player. “We’ve got a bunch 300-pound bench pressers up there. They’re kids that worked hard in the offseason to prepare for this.”

The Pilots improved to 11-0 with the win and added a district championship to a list of 2008 titles that includes a Catholic League Central Division championship and a Prep Bowl AB Division title.

“We’re improving each week, and we’re going to keep moving to win a state championship,” said Parris, a Roseville resident. “We’re going to keep improving, keep going and keep doing it.”

De La Salle will host White Lake Lakeland in a regional title game at 1 p.m. Nov. 15 at Fitzgerald. Lakeland topped Birmingham Brother Rice 17-13 to win its district championship.

You can reach Sports Writer Brad D. Bates at bbates@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1029.