Video: National preview of No. 4 Mater Dei vs. No. 7 St. John Bosco

Video: No. 4 Mater Dei vs. No. 7 St. John Bosco preview
Top college prospects should decide a game that carries national ramifications.

By definition, it's simply a Trinity League game between Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) and St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.). But everyone knows that the Friday night tilt at a packed Cerritos College is so much more.

A regional FOX television audience will tune in to see if Mater Dei (7-0, 3-0), No. 4 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 national rankings presented by the Army National Guard, can end a six-game losing skid to the seventh-ranked Braves (6-1, 3-0).

Besides a title in the Trinity League, largely considered one of the toughest leagues in the country, a top seed in the Southern Section Pac-5 playoffs and, of course, a high national rankings, is at stake.



More than all of that may be a psychological edge if the teams face off in the playoffs.

In 2013, Bosco defeated Mater Dei 24-2 in league play then came back to beat the Monarchs 34-7 in the Pac-5 finals en route to an Open Division state crown. The Braves have won 23 straight games in the Trinity League, an impressive feat to be sure.

"We didn't hold back in the first game that year and by no means will hold back this year," Bosco coach Jason Negro said. "We just implemented a few things the second game with them that year. We hope to get that opportunity again."

Said Mater Dei coach Bruce Rollinson: "The reality is you make of this game what you want. We could look at the enormity of it all and the national rankings and everything else, but honestly in our minds this is a league game. It's not an elimination game. Win or lose, we'll still be playing next week.

"I don't want our guys to get all hyped up with everything around it. And I'm very confident they'll go out and respond appropriately. It's a very confident group who knows how to play loose but with intensity."

It's a great match-up between Mater Dei's high-powered offense that averages 56.5 points and 484 yards per game, including 377 through the air, against Bosco's stingy, fast, hard-hitting defense which has allowed 6.5 points per game during the team's six wins.



Since a 35-20 loss to the nation's No. 1 team Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), Bosco has outscored four opponents 228-39.

"I'm very pleased how we've responded," Negro said. "We've beaten some quality teams soundly. Mater Dei is on a different level. They are so explosive offensively. We're going to have to find ways to disrupt their routes and timing. I'm confident we have the guys to do it."

Led by 6-3, 250-pound defensive end Jacob Callier (seven sacks), the Braves have the personnel to cause trouble against arguably the nation's top sophomore quarterback J.T. Daniels (40 touchdowns, two interceptions, 80 percent completion rate) and perhaps the state's deepest core of receivers.

Daniels, who has thrown for 2,640 yards and more TD passes than incompletions, has spread the ball beautifully between five receivers who have caught between 19 and 32 passes.

The best of the bunch are the brothers Amon-Ra St. Brown (32 catches, 610 yards, 14 touchdowns), a junior, and senior Osiris St. Brown (29-647-10). They'll be matched against a young but talented secondary, four of whom have been offered Division I scholarships.

"Make no mistake, (Daniels) is obviously super talented," Negro said. "What he does, how he gets rid of the ball so quick and reads schematically, you can't coach or defend it.



"But man does he have some weapons. Four of his receivers have full ride offers to USC. I've never heard of such a thing. With him controlling everything and all that talent around him, it's a recipe for a lot of success."

Bosco has no slouch at quarterback in Re-al Mitchell, who is much different than Daniels. He's a dual threat with sprinter speed. Daniels is a pure drop-back quarterback with little mobility.

Mitchell has accounted for 1,743 yards and 21 touchdowns and Terrance Beasley and Demetrious Flowers have combined for more than 1,000 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. Ohio State-bound five-star lineman Wyatt Davis leads a very talented offensive line for Bosco.

"They have as good and big an offensive line as I've seen," Rollinson said. "They're defensive line is equally good and they fly around everywhere on defense. We can't turn it over or commit penalties against a team like this. We have to take advantage of our opportunities.

"Everyone knows who the big stars in this game are. But usually it will be someone unexpected who rises to the occasion to make a pivotal play."