Chris Mellor didn’t grow up a disciple of De La Salle football. In fact, he couldn’t stand the Spartans while attending another Bay Area high school.

"They were the big dogs and nobody could beat them," Mellor said.

Nobody for 12 years and a national record 151 games — including one in Hawaii — to be exact.

Somewhere in that span, youthful resentment turned to admiration for the culture instilled by National High School Hall of Fame head coach Bob Ladouceur. So when he embarked on his own coaching career, Mellor pursued a job at the powerhouse in his backyard.

"I went there with one intention only: to learn from the best," said Mellor, reminiscing before a practice at Damien Memorial School in Kalihi, where he now serves as offensive coordinator.

Mellor spent three formative years (2002 to 2005) as an assistant coach in the De La Salle program profiled in Neil Hayes’ 2003 book "When the Game Stands Tall," which was adapted into the film of the same name opening Friday. (As a less prominent member of the coaching staff, Mellor was not mentioned in the book.)

Mellor moved to Hawaii shortly after his stint at the Catholic school in Concord, Calif., and served as Kalaheo High head coach for six years. He took time off from coaching while working toward his master’s degree and teaching certificate and returned to the sideline this summer under Damien head coach Eddie Klaneski.

He keeps in contact with members of De La Salle’s staff and is curious to see "how they nail down some of the coaches." Mellor also wants to see "how they tell some of the stories, if they ‘Hollywood’ it."

De La Salle’s famed streak began in 1992, and the Spartans earned win No. 127 in a long-anticipated match-up with nationally ranked Saint Louis at Aloha Stadium on Sept. 21, 2002, in the Hawaii High School Athletic Association Football Classic. (The visitors won 31-21.) Hayes dedicated a chapter in his book to the trip.

"(The coaches) had their game plan down, their strategies down, they owned it. But the success came from everything but the Xs and Os," Mellor said of De La Salle’s sustained excellence. "It was the off-field stuff, their commitment to the workout and their speed and conditioning."

While De La Salle’s unprecedented streak drew national acclaim, as one of Mellor’s friends noted, movie scripts aren’t often crafted on uninterrupted success.

"The Streak"stood at 151 entering the 2004 opener against Seattle’s Bellevue High. De La Salle left the field in defeat for the first time since the 1991 season finale and Ladouceur’s address to the team remains clear in Mellor’s memory.

"I remember what he said almost verbatim," Mellor said. "He said life’s going to be full of disappointments and this one’s a big one, but it’s not going to be your biggest."

The De La Salle community had suffered a far more profound loss earlier that summer when standout linebacker Terrance Kelly was shot to death two days before he was to leave for Oregon on a football scholarship.

The Spartans’ perseverance through adversity is one of the movie’s story lines and De La Salle continued to churn out championships through Ladouceur’s retirement last year.

While De La Salle’s formula for success isn’t easily replicated, Mellor sees similarities in the demeanor of players he’s now working with at Damien. The coaches are hoping to take the Monarchs to see the movie Friday before flying to Kauai for a preseason game Saturday.

"I wanted to go to a place where the brotherhood was important," Mellor said.

"The boys here are great. They’re the same type of kids, very respectful and team-first attitude."