High school football: De La Salle to play El Cerrito in a last-minute matchup

“Immense excitement,” DLS coach says. Spartans, El Cerrito had opponents cancel games this weekend.

After all, De La Salle has a football game on Friday.

After Foothill’s game against the Spartans was canceled due to injuries and illness, De La Salle found another opponent: El Cerrito.

The Spartans, who are ranked second by the Bay Area News Group, will host El Cerrito on Friday night in Concord.

The game is set to begin at 7 p.m.

Hercules has canceled its game against El Cerrito.

The game on Friday will be the first meeting between De La Salle and El Cerrito since 1992, when De La Salle won for the fourth time in the program’s 151-game winning streak.

“Immense excitement (and) gratitude for kids on both teams,” DLS coach Justin Alumbaugh wrote to the Bay Area News Group in a text message. “They all deserve it.”

After Foothill informed DLS that it would not be playing this weekend, Alumbaugh was skeptical that his team would find another opponent.

On Tuesday, Foothill coach Greg Haubner told the Bay Area News Group that he had about 25-27 healthy players, down from 44 at the start of the season.

Foothill and Hercules are both 1-6.

El Cerrito is 7-0 and is coming off a 47-0 win over Pinole Valley.

“I concur with Coach Alumbaugh’s assessment of ‘immense excitement for both teams.’ El Cerrito coach Jacob Rincon texted, “We are grateful for the opportunity to play this Friday.”

DLS (5-2) has won five straight games after losses to Orange Lutheran and Serra to start the season.

Last week, the Spartans blew a late 15-point lead before defeating third-ranked San Ramon Valley in overtime, 33-27.