Terron Ward's football season hadn't even lasted a full quarter, and he already was thinking bad thoughts.

With less than a minute left in the first quarter of De La Salle High's season-opening game against Serra, the Spartans' feature running back twisted his right ankle while being tackled on a punt return.

"This can't be happening," Ward said when recounting the first thoughts that went through his head. "Not in my senior season. I knew my team needed me, and I wanted to be there and play as well as I could."

Ward was already familiar with the frustration of a nagging injury keeping him off the field. A hip injury during his junior year forced him to miss the majority of three East Bay Athletic League games.

So, it wasn't surprising when he stubbornly stayed on the field against Serra on Sept. 4, and even scored two second-half touchdowns that sealed a 14-7 victory. But it was clear going forward that the ankle was not being as accommodating as Ward and De La Salle would've liked.

Then came the Monte Vista game Oct. 9.

"That was probably the first time I really felt healthy," Ward said of his 398-yard, school-record performance against the Mustangs. "That was the first time I really felt that I could cut and do the things I wanted to do."

That game seemed to jump-start Ward and the rest of the De La Salle offense into an outstanding October. Behind Ward, who rushed for more than

"As I started to get healthy, the line got stronger and we jelled a little faster than we thought we would," Ward said.

De La Salle (6-2, 5-0) can clinch at least a share of its second straight EBAL title this week with a win at Foothill (5-3, 2-3). Amador Valley (7-1, 4-1) and California (5-3, 4-1) each remain one game back in the standings. The Spartans already have a win over the Dons, and play the Grizzlies in the final week of the regular season.

Sympathy for the RED devil: The climb back to respectability began for the Mt. Diablo football team in 2008 when the Red Devils went 5-5, finishing .500 or better for the first time since they went 5-4 in 1995.

Last Friday, coach Tony Darone's team took an important next step in the quest to continue its improvement, upsetting College Park 20-19. To put the win in perspective, consider that the Falcons crushed the Red Devils 63-25 last year.

"I knew College Park was a must-win for us," Darone said. "We had a real good week of practice, and I think we prepared ourselves. The ball just bounced our way for once."

With two weeks left in the regular season, the Red Devils (5-3, 1-2 Diablo Valley Athletic League) are very much in the hunt to attain their top two goals when the season began — finish with a winning record and make the North Coast Section Division II playoffs.

"Last year we lost close games to Ygnacio Valley and Concord on the last drive of the game," Darone said. "This year we went one step forward. That win against College Park was huge, especially after last year when they blew us out of the water."

Staff writer Ben Enos contributed to this notebook.