Euless Trinity and California power De La Salle have reached a verbal agreement to play next season in North Texas said Hurst-Euless-Bedford athletic director Mike Fielder.
"We don't have a contract and we don't have a venue yet but we have agreed to play," Fielder said. "Two great programs each with a history of success. It's a pretty exciting opportunity."
Update: 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29 at Mansfield Newsom Stadium
De La Salle of Concord (CA) was featured in the 2014 movie "When the Game Stands Tall". De La Salle won the CIF Open Division Bowl last season with a 14-0 record and finished No. 3 in USA Today's Super 25. Allen was No. 4 and eliminated Trinity in the UIL state playoffs last season in a thriller at Denton's Apogee Stadium.
De La Salle and Trinity in the UIL's Week 1 of the 2015 schedule. Fielder said the game will be in North Texas but the venue hasn't been set. De La Salle is building a national schedule which also includes a late-season matchup with Long Beach Poly. De La Salle is known for its 151-game winning streak in the 1990s and 2000s but the program still is considered one of the nation's best with a draw of top athletes across Northern California.
Trinity played Eastern Christian of Maryland in its opener last season and has an opening due to the UIL's 2-year scheduling. Trinity is one of the few programs which can match De La Salle's profile. Trinity was featured in a Gatorade commercial with former Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells. Trinity also is well-known for its Polynesian community and Haka/Sipi Tau team dance on the field. Trinity has a history of playing nationally known opponents. Trinity played South Jordan (Utah) Bingham in the first game at AT&T Stadium in 2009; walloped Shiloh (Ark.) Christian with 88 points at AT&T in 2010 and went to play at Bellevue (Washington) outside Seattle in 2012. Bellevue, by the way, ended De La Salle's "The Streak" in 2004.
Trinity won state titles in 2005, 2007, 2009 and reached the 2010 state final. Trinity has a host of highly recruited talent with running back Ja'Ron Wilson, quarterback/running back Tyler Natee and defensive tackle Chris Daniels.
