Defending national champion Mater Dei releases 2025 football schedule

Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) released its 2025 high school football schedule Wednesday and it will be among the toughest in the nation. Last year's national champions open the season in Florida at the Broward County National High School Football Showcase against St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) on Aug. 23.

This will be the first meeting between the two national powers. The Raiders extended their Florida record with a sixth consecutive state title last season and finished ranked in the MaxPreps Top 25 for the sixth straight year.

Two weeks later, the Monarchs host Kahuku (Hawaii) at the Santa Ana Bowl on Sept. 5. The Red Raiders will have a talented roster led by former St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) quarterback Matai Fuiava and four-star linebacker Talanoa Ili. Mater Dei closes out non-league action against two powerhouse programs in Centennial (Corona, Calif.) and Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas).

The Monarchs have won seven in a row against head coach Matt Logan and Centennial. 

This will be fifth meeting against Bishop Gorman and Mater Dei has won the previous four, including a 31-15 win last year in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown.

They begin Trinity League action on Oct. 3 at Orange Lutheran (Orange). The Lancers have dropped 13 in a row against the Monarchs with the last win coming in 2011.

Mater Dei has three consecutive home games against Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita), Servite (Anaheim) and JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano) before wrapping up the regular season at St. John Bosco on Halloween.

The Monarchs have won three in a row against the Braves and eight of the last 11.

Raul Lara led Mater Dei to a 13-0 record in his first season as head coach and returns plenty of talent led by Mark Bowman, Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, Kodi Greene, Chris Henry Jr., C.J. Lavender, Ace Leutele, Shaun Scott, Tomuhini Topui and Aaryn Washington.

Mater Dei became the first school to win a third national championship as recognized by MaxPreps last season and will have an opportunity to win a fourth with the schedule it has lined up in 2025. The other two came in 2017 and 2021. All three times the program has gone wire-to-wire as the No. 1 team in the country.

 

Aug. 23 — at St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)

Aug. 29 — vs. Bishop Montgomery (Torrance)

Sept. 5 — vs. Kahuku (Hawaii)

Sept. 12 — at Centennial (Corona)

Sept. 19 — at Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)

Oct. 3 — at Orange Lutheran (Orange)

Oct. 10 — vs. Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita)

Oct. 17 — vs. Servite (Anaheim)

Oct. 24 — vs. JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano)

Oct. 31 — at St. John Bosco (Bellflower)