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Mater Dei players and coaching staff celebrate after claiming their second consecutive CIF State Open Division title. (PHOTOS: Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone)
Mater Dei High School’s football team left no doubt that it’s the No. 1 team in the nation as the Monarchs cruised to a 37-15 victory over Concord De La Salle in the CIF State Football Championship Open Division Bowl game Saturday night at Saddleback College.
The Monarchs (13-0) dominated on both sides of the ball, outgained the Spartans 497-165. Mater Dei extended its winning streak to 19 games over two seasons and captured the state championship for the second consecutive season. De La Salle’s 12-game winning streak was snapped at 12 games.
Mater Dei quarterback Dash Beierly, a University of Washington commit, completed 18 passes for 355 yards and three touchdowns as the Monarchs dealt the Spartans (12-1) their seventh consecutive bowl loss.
“We came out strong offensively and defensively,” said Beierly. “It’s amazing to be state champions. I’m so happy with my teammates.”
Monarchs Coach Raul Lara was thrilled with his team.
“I think the legacy of this team is that they will be remembered as one of the best teams ever in California,” said Lara. “Look at the difficult schedule we play and look at the manner of how we have beaten each team. I think we only had one game within 10 points this season.
“I’m very happy to be a part of this. Bruce (Rollinson) and Frank (McManus) put all this great talent together and we (the coaching staff) helped steered the ship.”
Mater Dei took the opening kickoff and promptly moved the ball 80 yards in seven plays to take a 7-0 lead. Monarchs running back Jordan Davison, a University of Oregon commit, capped the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run. Late in the quarter, Beierly tossed a 90-yard TD pass to Gavin Honore who got behind the defensive back and raced half the field untouched, giving Mater a 14-0 lead.
The Monarchs kept applying pressure in the second quarter as linebackers Shaun Scott and Nasir Wyatt, a University Oregon commit, combined to tackle quarterback Toa Fa’avae in the end zone for a safety, upping Mater Dei’s lead to 16-0.
On the Monarchs ensuing possession, Mater Dei needed just three plays to extend its lead to 23-0 as Beierly completed a swing pass to Kayden Dixon-Wyatt who scampered 21 yards for a TD and the Monarchs took a 23-0 halftime lead.
The Monarchs outgained the Spartans 358-22 in the opening half.
“We played on all cylinders,” said Davison, who rushed for 107 yards and scored a TD. “We got a little lax, but we came back and executed. Our execution was the key to our win.”
The De La Salle defense did stop Mater Dei four times from inside the two-yard line late in the first half and stopped the Monarchs two other times on fourth-down plays in the first half, but they couldn’t muster any offense in the opening 24 minutes.
However, the Spartans came out rejuvenated in the second half and scored two touchdowns in the third quarter to cut the score to 23-15. Quarterback Toa Fa’avae scored on runs of one and 41 yards in the quarter as the Spartans started to make things interesting.
However, the Monarchs rebounded and put together two fourth quarter scoring drives to put the game away. Davison scored on a 15-yard run and Mark Bowman caught a 31-yard TD pass from Beierly.
“We got a little lackadaisical in the second half, but we regained our mentality and got back into rhythm.” said Wyatt. “I’m so emotional right now, I could cry.”
“We faced some adversity in the second half, but we came together and came back hard,” Scott added. “We like it when it gets like that.”
Mater Dei and St. John Bosco have combined to win the last eight Open Division bowl championships.
The Spartans had won 12 consecutive games, and 23 of their last 24, entering Saturday’s championship game.
Notes:
—-De La Salle has won 32 consecutive North Coast Section titles and scored 40 or more points in seven of 13 games while recording 11 victories this season by double digits. Saturday’s 15 points scored was the lowest output by De La Salle this season.
—De La Salle won 151 consecutive games from 1992 thru 2003.
—Entering Saturday’s game De La Salle was ranked No. 9 in the California and No. 21 nationally.
“I wish we played a better first half,” said Spartans coach Justin Alumbaugh. “They (Mater Dei) are the No.1 team in the country for a reason. We competed against them, but they deserved to win tonight.”
—The Spartans only completed two passes in the game.
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