Tag: Mater Dei

High School Football Rewind: Watch this explosive TD run seal the game for Mater Dei over St. John Bosco

Needing a big play to put the Braves away, the Monarchs looked to Sophomore running back Jordon Davison and he came through.

The biggest high school football game of the year—Mater Dei vs. St. John Bosco—turned out to be a defensive slugfest, a big change from their matchup last season, which ended in a 42-21 win for the Monarchs. 

This time around, neither quarterback threw a single touchdown pass and heading into the fourth quarter, the game was a close battle.

Mater Dei got out in front, and needing a big play to put the Braves away, called on Sophomore running back Jordon Davison.

And he certainly answered. 

Watch his 38-yard touchdown run to seal the deal for Mater Dei, winning by a score of 17-7.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cjn861kss_N/

Davison (5-foot-11, 210 pounds) finished the evening with 114 rushing yards on 22 carries. He’s a five-star recruit, ranked the No. 1 running back in the class of 2025. Davison already has 36 offers on the table from college programs.

Next up on the schedule, Mater Dei will visit 6-1 Orange Lutheran (Calif.) while St. John Bosco hosts 3-4 JSerra Catholic (Calif.).

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Super 25 football schedule for October 14-15, 2022

Super 25 football schedule: How to watch the top HS teams this week

Mater Dei (Calif.) took down St. John Bosco (Calif.) last week in battle between the two best high school football teams in the country. The Monarchs remain at the top of our Super-25 rankings, but the rest of the picture at the top has been shaken up.

Here is who the top teams will be playing this week, including the top 25 showdown in Georgia between Buford and Mill Creek.

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Bishop Gorman keeps rolling with 69-0 win

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Super 25 football Week 6 recap: Mater Dei beats St. John Bosco in top showdown, Oakland stumbles

This past week Mater Dei defeated St. John Bosco to remain on top of the high school football world.

The top two teams in the country met up this past weekend. Mater Dei defeated St. John Bosco 17-7, remaining undefeated on the 2022 season and keeping their spot on top of the high school football world.

Elsewhere on the high end of the Super-25 rankings, Florida powers Central (Miami) and St. Thomas Aquinas won in-state matchups and Bishop Gorman blasted their opponents, 69-0.

Altogether it was another strong week for this teams, with the only loss coming for No. 22 ranked Oakland (Tenn.). Here are the scores for each team from Week 6.

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Bishop Gorman on a roll, dominant run continues with 69-0 win

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Bishop Gorman on a roll, dominant run continues with 69-0 win

Bishop Gorman has reeled off six straight convincing wins, including four shutouts.

Bishop Gorman (Nev.) lost their second game of the season against top-ranked Mater Dei (Calif.). While they gave the reigning national champions and the consensus best high school football team in the country a run for their money, they lost by a score of 24-21 after taking a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.

However, the Gaels have responded to that loss with a streak of dominant victories.

Since that blown lead against the Monarchs, Bishop Gorman has reeled off six straight convincing wins, including four shutouts. Here is a look at what they’ve done in the weeks since:

Friday 9/2 – defeated St. Louis (Hawaii) 56-14

Friday 9/9 – defeated Hamilton (Ariz.) 45-0

Friday 9/16 – defeated Brookwood (Ga.) 70-10

Friday 9/23 – defeated Arbor View (Nev.) 63-0

Friday 9/30 – defeated Canyon Springs (Nev.) 58-0

Friday 10/7 – defeated Legacy (Nev.) 69-0

Altogether, they have outscored these six opponents 361-24.
Junior QB Michael Alejado threw 24 touchdowns and no interceptions in that stretch. His QB rating for the season is up to 157.5.

They’re also getting pressure on their opponents. On the other side of the ball, Senior linebackers Palaie Faoa and Quincy Davis have combined for 17 sacks.

Next up on the schedule is an away game at Palo Verde (Nev.).

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Lincoln Riley attended Mater Dei win over St John Bosco before beating Washington State

Before leading #USC to a 6-0 record on Saturday, Lincoln Riley attended the huge high school football game which got everyone’s attention on Friday.

The country’s top two high school football teams squared off Friday night in one of the biggest prep games of the past decade. The Mater Dei Monarchs (Santa Ana, Calif.) beat the St. John Bosco Braves (Bellflower, Calif.) 17-7 in a defensive battle.

The contest, which featured more than 70 Divison I prospects, showcased players who collectively hold hundreds of scholarship offers.

The highly-anticipated battle between the nation’s top two teams drew the attention of college coaches, including USC’s Lincoln Riley. One night before he coached the Trojans past Washington State, Riley was roaming the sideline to get an up-close look at the action.

Mater Dei’s defense was ready. The No. 2 Monarchs recorded five sacks and added two interceptions, one each from Zabien Brown and Daryus Dixson.

The star and MVP of the game went to 2025 USC Trojan target Jordon Davison. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound sophomore running back lived up to his five-star billing, rushing 22 times for 114 yards.

Mater Dei earned a No.1 ranking in the USA TODAY Sports Super 25.

Mater Dei holds off St. John Bosco, will remain atop USA TODAY Sports Super 25

The Bosco defense featured USC target and five-star edge rusher Matayo Uiagalelei, four-star linebacker Kyngstonn Villiamu-Asa, and four-star cornerbacks (Louisville-bound) Aaron Williams and (Stanford commit) Jshawn Frausto-Ramos.

Braves linebacker Deven Bryant had 10 tackles including two for a loss. Uiagalelei and Villiamu-Asa combined for 13 tackles and the Braves had eight tackles for losses.

The Mater Dei defense had a even better night than their counterparts, limiting St. John Bosco quarterback and Louisville commit Pierce Clarkson and super sophomore Caleb Sanchez to 14 completed passes and 106 yards through the air. Clarkson, the Braves’ starter, missed the second half after suffering a concussion in the first half.

Look for a possible rematch between the two schools in the Open Division of the California state playoffs in two months. If Bosco can get better and Clarkson gets healthy, it could be a different outcome, but as of now, Mater Dei is top dog in the state and the nation.

Lincoln Riley surely took notes.

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Mater Dei holds off St. John Bosco, will remain atop USA TODAY Sports Super 25

The Monarchs held the home turf against the SoCal rival Braves.

Mater Dei handed St. John Bosco its first loss of the 2022 season, holding off the formidable SoCal rival in what many saw as the High School Football Game of 2022.

It was No. 1 vs. No. 2 in the country—a first since 2019—and while some had Bosco at the top spot, the impressive track record and win against Bishop Gorman (Nev.) this season was enough for Mater Dei to earn a No.1 ranking in the USA TODAY Sports Super 25, which they’ve held since Week 1.

After tonight’s victory in Santa Ana, the Monarchs will certainly remain at the top.

As for the game, it was worth the rather pricey admission, a defensive standoff in front of a sell-out crowd that seemed to have only one possession a quarter for each team.

Mater Dei was the younger of the two squads, which may have factored in much of the predictions about the game. But mistakes hurt Bosco’s offensive progressions, something that seemed part nerves and anticipation, and part these are still kids, and what number of stars are next to their names is inconsequential.

An interception in the first from Bosco QB Pierce Clarkson was answered with a 99-yard drive by Mater Dei that ate up over seven minutes—and, more importantly, ended with a score. 

Other gaffes snuck into the talented Braves’ attack as well, including eight penalties that negated 70 yards. 

For the most part, Mater Dei avoided those errors on their end, while capitalizing on the unlikely opportunities. 

Monarch QB Elijah Brown fended off adversity and held steady the entire game, now moving to 24-0 for his career.

Bosco’s Clarkson had an abbreviated night, one that came with an update you never want to see during football at any level.

In the end, Mater Dei was too much. On this night, anyway.

Final score: Mater Dei 17, St. John Bosco, 7.

Final predictions: the recruiting landscape was pages long, with top prospects on both sides of the ball, and regardless of which team won the game, it’s safe to say that few programs would want either on their schedule…

And it’s even safer to say that we’ll see these teams again the day after Thanksgiving at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

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Friday Night Notes: Best St. John Bosco, Mater Dei prospects, SEC rankings, major visits, and more

The latest look at high school football recruiting from around the country.

USA TODAY High School Sports‘ Friday Night Notes is a weekly high school football recruiting recap that looks at the latest news from around the country—from the Class of 2023 to ’24 and beyond.

Friday evening Santa Ana, California, will be the site of the biggest high school football game of the season. For the first time in three years, the top-two schools in the country will meet on the field, as reigning national champion and No. 1 ranked school Mater Dei hosts No. 2 St. John Bosco.

Tickets for the game are a hot item on the resale market, and for a good reason. Together these teams have dozens of highly-ranked recruits for the class of 2023 and into the future – some of whom may end up playing on Sunday afternoons.

We begin this week’s edition of Friday Night Notes by examining a few of the top recruits who are playing tonight.

Jerome Miron, USA TODAY Sports

Matayo Uiagalelei (St. John Bosco Edge – 2023)

Uiagalelei (6-foot-5, 265 pounds) is the highest-rated recruit in this matchup. He’s ranked as the No. 2 edge-rusher in his class and No. 8 overall nationally by 247 Sports. He already has 2.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for a loss this year.

Brandon Baker (Mater Dei Offensive tackle – 2024)

One of the offensive linemen who will be tasked with containing the explosive Uiagalelei is Baker (6-foot-5, 285 pounds). He’s the second-ranked offensive tackle and No. 8 overall recruit in California. Baker has visits scheduled for Ohio State, Oklahoma and Oregon.

Elijah Brown (Mater Dei Quarterback – 2024)

Baker will also be watching the back of his team’s highly-ranked quarterback prospect. Brown (6-foot-2, 180 pounds) is the fifth-best QB in his class and threw five touchdown passes when these teams met last season, a 42-21 win for the Monarchs.

R.J. Jones (St. John Bosco Safety – 2023)

One of the defensive backs Brown will have to keep an eye out for is Jones, a four-star, 6-foot-1, 195 pound safety.  He was committed to Cal but backed out and is now drawing interest from several other Pac-12 schools, including Colorado, UCLA and Oregon State.

Tons of USC targets set to play in St John Bosco-Mater Dei showcase

.@DonJamesSports offers an overview of the many #USC targets who will play in the 1-vs-2 mega-showdown between Bosco and Mater Dei on Friday.

USC fans might naturally want to watch the St. John Bosco Braves face the Mater Dei Monarchs this Friday night in the Santa Ana Bowl, simply because these are two California powerhouse programs. As one might readily expect, however, this isn’t just a fun matchup. Lots of future USC Trojans and players Lincoln Riley is courting are involved in this game.

Let’s mention several USC targets on the field in this 1-versus-2 super showdown:

As a junior, Bosco Braves quarterback and Louisville commit Pierce Clarkson threw for 1,416 yards and 16 touchdowns while completing 60% of his passes. He also rushed for 254 yards and four touchdowns. Through six games this year, Clarkson has thrown for 904 yards and 13 touchdowns and is completing 59% of his passes. He has rushed for another 195 yards and two more scores.

Given the reality that Louisville head coach Scott Satterfield could be fired before the end of 2022, there is a distinct possibility that he and other Louisville commits could flip to other schools. USC could be in with a chance to pounce on Clarkson.

As a sophomore, Elijah Brown threw for 2,581 yards and 30 touchdowns while completing 74% of his passes to lead Mater Dei to a 12-0 record and a collection of CIF, state and national championships. He doesn’t run much but is very capable of buying time, extending plays, and either making a throw down the field or running for a first down when needed.

Through six games this year, Brown has thrown for 1,376 yards and 17 touchdowns and completed 69% of his throws. Keep in mind he has never lost a game as a starter; he’s 23-0. 

Mater Dei targets in this top national matchup on Friday night include: junior quarterback Elijah Brown; senior linebacker Levitivus Su’a; junior offensive linemen Rocky Ma’aele, Deandre Carter, and Brandon Baker; freshman receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt; junior cornerback Zabien Brown; and super sophomore running backs Jordon Davison and Nasir Wyatt.

Bosco is a slight favorite over the Monarchs this year. The main reason is that their defense is led by a USC Trojan target, defensive end Matayo Uiagalelei, the younger brother of former top-five overall recruit and current Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei.

Other USC Trojan targets on St. John Bosco include: Bosco (S) R.J Jones, (CB) Marcelles Williams, (LB) Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, and Ole Miss commit Jordan Lockhart.

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Mater Dei vs. St. John Bosco tickets a hot item on resale market

How much?!

The biggest high school football game of the year will be played tomorrow night when No. 1 ranked Mater Dei hosts No. 2 St. John Bosco in a battle of the two best teams in the country – the first such matchup since 2019.

This game could have been played at SoFi Stadium, a venue that can hold up to 70,000 people and another 30,000 for special events. Instead, the Monarchs elected to play at their regular home, Santa Ana Stadium, which has a capacity of just 9,000.

Originally each seat was sold for $10. As you might imagine, tickets on the resale market are considerably higher. Some screenshots circulating on social media show listings of up to $500 for a single seat:

These teams played last year, with Mater Dei coming out on top 42-21.

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No. 1 vs No. 2 high school football showdown: St. John Bosco vs Mater Dei

In Bosco-Mater Dei, 70 players have received an FBS offer. That shows how much talent these two teams have. Kickoff is Friday night at 7:30 in Santa Ana, Calif.

The biggest high school football game of the year, and maybe the biggest in regular season history, is set: No. 2 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) hosts No. 1 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) on Oct. 7 at the Santa Ana Bowl.

Last week, the Bosco Braves improved their record to 6-0 with a 49-3 win over rival Servite (Anaheim). The Mater Dei Monarchs, also now 6-0, won a tough Trinity League matchup 21-13 against JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano).

The two teams have a combined 70 players that are rated as a two-star recruit or higher by 247Sports, or who have landed at least one FBS offer. St. John Bosco has 38 while the Monarchs have 32.

This has become the biggest and best rivalry in high school football since 2016. The two schools have combined to produce over 150 players who have played at the FBS or FCS level over the last seven years.

Mater Dei has won seven of the last 10 meetings, including two in a row. The last time these two played as the top two teams in the MaxPreps Top 25 was in 2019. Current Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei led Bosco to a 39-34 comeback win in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship game. St. John Bosco trailed 28-5 late in the first half but Uiagalelei led the way back, throwing for 446 yards and five touchdowns.

The past two years, the Trojans picked up a few top Mater Dei recruits: four-star Raleek Brown, five-star Domani Jackson, four-star linebacker Raesjon Davis, four-star C.J. Williams, and four-star wide receiver Kyron Ware-Hudson.

Player profile: Mater Dei 2024 quarterback Elijah Brown

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