High school football: Mater Dei-St. John Bosco is hottest ticket in town, going for $350

By Mitch Stephens Oct 1, 2021, 12:00pm

Southern California prep game catching top dollar, while admission to UCLA-Arizona State can be had for $45.

According to postings on eBay, two tickets for Friday's national high school showdown between Southern California powers Mater Dei (Santa Ana) at St. John Bosco (Bellflower) have each sold for $350.

The powerhouse teams tangle at 7:30 p.m. at Bosco's Panish Family Stadium, which seats 6,000 fans. The last 2,500 general admission tickets sold out in four minutes online Monday morning.

Since then, tickets have been offered and sold online on eBay and Craigslist for a variety of costs, but mostly in the $50-150 range. General admission prices normally go for $10 (adults), $5 (seniors) and $3 (children). By comparison, online prices for Saturday's Arizona State vs. UCLA game at the Rose Bowl go for as low as $45.

Mater Dei (3-0) enters Friday's tilt ranked No. 1 in the MaxPreps Top 25 and St. John Bosco at No. 3.

"We’re a little in shock,” St. John Bosco’s football operations manager, Jesse Christensen told the Los Angeles Times about the rapid tickets sale. “Everybody was sitting at their computer. I was sitting here and watching it. It was shocking. ... We'll be bursting at the seams (Friday) and it will be awesome."



A Bosco-Mater Dei ticket has been gold since the Trinity League rivals both emerged national powers starting in 2016. Since then the teams have gone a combined 122-11 record with four state and three national titles between them.

The programs have combined to send 130 players to the FBS or FCS level over the last five years, including Bryce Young (Alabama), JT Daniels (Georgia), DJ Uiagalelei (Clemson), Elias Ricks (LSU), Amon-Ra St. Brown (Detroit Lions) and Wyatt Davis (Minnesota Vikings).

Friday's game features 65 players with either a recruiting ranking or college offer. The game will be televised locally on Bally Sports.
The last time Mater Dei and St. John Bosco met at Panish Family Stadium in 2019, Bryce Young outdueled DJ Uiagalelei for a 38-24 Monarchs win.
The last time Mater Dei and St. John Bosco met at Panish Family Stadium in 2019, Bryce Young outdueled DJ Uiagalelei for a 38-24 Monarchs win.
File photo by Heston Quan