California high school football: Behind sophomore Matayo Uiagalelei, St. John Bosco beats Servite 38-28

In one of the biggest high school football games of the spring season in California, 2019 MaxPreps national champion St. John Bosco (Bellflower) beat Servite (Anaheim) 38-28 Friday night. The first half was a defensive battle between the Trinity League rivals with Servite carrying a 7-3 lead into halftime.

Houston Thomas scored the only touchdown on a three-yard run with 10:04 left in the second quarter.

Both offenses got on track in the second half as Katin Houser led the Braves on a six-play, 62-yard drive to begin the third quarter capped by a 26-yard touchdown pass to four-star sophomore tight end Matayo Uiagalelei.

Bosco's defense forced a three-and-out on the Friars' opening possession of the third quarter and took momentum of the game on the following drive that began at its own one-yard line. Sophomore Pierce Clarkson came in under center for the next drive as head coach Jason Negro continued to alternate quarterbacks on each possession. The result was a 99-yard drive culminated with a three-yard touchdown pass to Chedon James. After only completing one pass in the first half, Servite's junior quarterback Noah Fifita started to find his rhythm and connected with five-star wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan four separate times on the ensuing drive after he was held without a catch in the first half.

Fifita scampered in from 11 yards out with 3:03 left in the third quarter to cut the Bosco lead to 17-14.

The Braves answered two plays later as three-star junior running back Jabari Bates took it 75 yards to the house to increase the lead to 24-14. He finished the night with 14 carries for 170 yards.

Fifita connected with McMillan on a 64-yard pass to get inside the red zone, then found the five-star receiver a couple of plays later for a three-yard score with 1:33 left in the third quarter to cut the lead to 24-21.

The biggest play of the game came on the following drive for St. John Bosco as it faced a fourth-and-eight on Servite's 12-yard line. Clarkson threw a perfect ball to the 6-foot-6, 265-pound Uiagalelei, who went up and snagged it for his second score of the night to take a 31-21 lead with 9:57 left. On the following Servite drive, Uiagalelei showed why he is being recruited as both a defensive end and tight end, pulling down Fifita with one arm for his first sack of the night.

After three-star junior linebacker Jalen Woods intercepted Fifita, Servite's defense forced a three-and-out and got the Friars the ball back inside Bosco territory. Fifita led them on a 35-yard drive capped with a three-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to 31-28 with 5:18 left.

St. John Bosco responded with a 15-yard touchdown run by Michael Hayes with 1:54 left to take a commanding 38-28 lead.

The Braves improve to 3-0 with the win while the loss drops the Friars to 2-1.

Up next for St. John Bosco is JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano) on April 3. Servite will look to bounce back against state No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana).