Owen Owens Field - De La Salle Spartans
- David Hegler
- 3 hours ago
- 5 min read
Photos by David Hegler, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43
Owen Owens Field 1130 Winton Dr.
Concord, CA 94518
Year Opened: 1971 Capacity: 4,500
Welcome to Owen Owens Field
One of the most successful high school football programs in America has the most humble-looking stadium. Sitting 29 miles east of San Francisco, De La Salle High School’s Owen Owens Field has been home to a program that has won 39 North Coast Section titles (including the last 32), six CIF State Bowl Game championships, and nine mythical national championships. NFL stars such as Amani Toomer, Maurice Jones-Drew, and D.J. Williams played for the De La Salle Spartans.
While all of those accolades are impressive in their own right, one number stands above all else in the Spartans program: 151. From the first week of 1992 through the very last game of 2003, the De La Salle Spartans won every single time. It was an incredible feat that will likely never be replicated. After they broke the national record (72) in 1997, coach Bob Ladoucer decided that they needed to validate their accomplishment by scheduling the toughest opponents in America. So, defensive coordinator/athletic director Terry Eidson went to work, scheduling some of the toughest opponents in high school football.
In the early years, the excessive crowds forced De La Salle to abandon their humble little home that was named after an early benefactor and former newspaper publisher for larger stadiums such as Cal Berkeley’s Memorial Stadium, the University of Pacific’s Amos Alonzo Stagg Stadium, Seattle’s Lumen Field, Honolulu’s Aloha Stadium and Anaheim’s Angel Stadium as they took on national powers such as Long Beach Poly, Mater Dei and St. Louis of Honolulu. In recent years, interest in high school football has waned in Northern California.
Still, De La Salle’s schedule remains a minor national obsession as they routinely put together one of the toughest schedules in America. Thus, on this particular early October night, De La Salle hosted mighty Cathedral Catholic from San Diego, a matchup so big that Maxpreps.com placed it on its weekly list of top ten games to watch in America. However, their tough schedule is just one factor in the allure of De La Salle football.
Even though Bob Ladouceur retired after the 2012 season, his successor, Justin Alumbaugh, has made sure to keep the tradition of Spartan football alive.
Food & Beverage 4
De La Salle offers a wide variety of food that can be bought with either cash or a card. They offer hot dogs and chips for $7, hamburgers/cheeseburgers and chips for $7, chicken quesadilla and chips/homemade salsa for $7, small candy for $2, bag candy for $3, soda for $3, Gatorade for $3, and bottled water for $2. On a personal note, these people really know how to grill a burger.
Atmosphere 3
With the field surrounded by so many trees, it’s almost as if it is in its own little world, set apart from the struggles of everyday life. The rolling hills just beyond the home bleachers provide a nice touch at sunset and provide a calm before the storm for De La Salle’s opponents.
The student section in one end zone fills and provides the ever-present spark that keeps the Spartans offensive machine moving all night long. History and tradition surround the spectators the minute that they walk into Owen Owens Field. Like they have since 1979, the De La Salle Spartans don’t have single-digit numbers and they still run the vaunted Veer offense that powered them to 151-straight wins decades ago.
The community of De La Salle expects to win, but they want visitors to stick around long enough to witness the impending blowout. As such, while the Spartans may win, opposing fans will always feel welcome at Owen Owens Field.
Neighborhood 3
In general, the neighborhood is pretty safe and feels a world apart from neighboring communities such as Pittsburg and Richmond that have a long history of violence. While very few restaurants are open after the game, there are a large number of them located within a five-mile radius if you would like to grab a quick nosh before the game. These restaurants include Round Table Pizza, Ozora Sushi Restaurant, Thai Table Oak Grove, Ice Monster and Rocco’s Ristororante Pizzeria.
If you would like to stay in town for the weekend, there are several hotels in the area. These hotels include the Renaissance Walnut Creek Hotel and the Embassy Suites by Hilton Walnut Creek.
Fans 3
The De La Salle fans are both friendly and passionate about their team. What’s more, they make first-time visitors feel at home. From the dads playing catch with their kids in the open track right in front of the video board to the fans packed into the small yet spacious bleachers, it truly feels like a community event.
Access 3
Parking is free across the street in De La Salle’s sister school, Carondelet High School, and is a very short walk from the field. The surrounding neighborhood is safe enough if you would like to park your car there. The campus has ample room to get a ride before and after the game.
The men’s bathroom is well kept, and there are several porta-potties next to the visiting bleachers with wash stations awaiting guests outside.
Return on Investment 4
Most high schools charge around the same rate for their football games these days, and De La Salle is no different, charging $11 on Gofan.com. Still, while some of the biggest matchups in America go for as much as $150 a ticket, De La Salle remains lowkey. Carondelet’s parking lot made the transition from battling the notorious rush hour traffic on 680 to attending a big-time high school football matchup painless and simple.
But of course, high school football itself is relatively inexpensive. What matters most is the cost of time. With De La Salle’s rich history and tradition, as well as its picturesque landscape, going to a game at Owen Owens Field is very much worth your time and effort.
Extras 4
The school puts together a terrific media guide, filled with rosters for both varsity teams as well as photographs of each Spartan on all three levels and their coaches. The away bleachers are small, yet spacious enough that it’s easy to move around in the front and high enough to see over the heads of the people on the sidelines.
If you have the patience, stick around at halftime to watch De La Salle’s marching band. Lined up single file, the crew stretches three-quarters of the field dressed to the nines in green garments with giant green capes draped over their shoulders and big topped hats with a white feather. Their presence alone is a spectacle, and the music is pretty good too.
Lastly, the digital videoboard, while not the best in the Bay Area, is still better than most schools.
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