This isn't the first time a worthy squad has tried to upend the season-ending Southern California high school football celebration that is Mater Dei vs. St. John Bosco.
Over the last five seasons, as the Monarchs and Braves have ascended to the top of the national football food chain, several talented squads have met the Trinity League juggernauts head on, only to be soundly defeated.
In a COVID-19 shortened season where most California teams are playing four to six games, one of the biggest contests is Friday when second-ranked St. John Bosco takes on No. 3 Servite in what's the California Game of the Week.
Servite, behind dynamic 5-foot-11, 180-pound junior dual threat quarterback
Noah Fifita (offers from Arizona and Cal), has outscored two opponents, 113-19.
Fifita threw for almost 2,900 yards and 37 touchdowns as a sophomore when the Friars went 7-4. He nearly led Servite to an upset of the eventual national champs, dropping a 27-26 Trinity League thriller.
The Braves are loaded again, though they did lose current Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei to graduation and replaced him with two dynamic young arms in sophomore Pierce Clarkson and junior Katin Houser. Both have looked good in the early going, combining for 492 passing yards and six touchdowns with no interceptions in two wins.
Servite could spoil the season-ending contest between Bosco and Mater Dei, which opened its season last week with a 52-3 throttling of JSerra Catholic behind three touchdown passes from freshman quarterback
Elijah Brown in his first varsity game.
There are plenty of other terrific matchups this weekend including No. 11 Oaks Christian at No. 7 Sierra Canyon, No. 8 Alemany at No. 10 Bishop Amat and No. 21 Edison at No. 9 Los Alamitos. In San Diego Section play, No. 23 St. Augustine travels to No. 17 Cathedral Catholic.
Noah Fifita, Servite quarterback
File photo by Jann Hendry
Record: 1-0 |
Last week: Beat JSerra Catholic, 52-3
Next game: Friday at Orange Lutheran
2. St. John Bosco (Bellflower)Record: 2-0 |
Last week: Beat Santa Margarita, 65-28
Next game: Friday vs. Servite
3. Servite (Anaheim)Record: 2-0 |
Last week: Beat Orange Lutheran, 69-13
Next game: Friday at St. John Bosco
4. Centennial (Corona)Record: 1-0 |
Last week: Beat King, 50-0
Next game: Thursday at Santiago
5. De La Salle (Concord)Record: 2-0 |
Last week: Beat Monte Vista (Danville), 63-27
Next game: Saturday vs. San Ramon Valley (Danville)
6. Mission ViejoRecord: 1-0 |
Last week: Beat Oak Hills, 55-6
Next game: Saturday at Upland
7. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth)Record: 1-1 |
Last week: Beat St. Bernard, 56-0
Next game: Friday vs. Oaks Christian
8. Alemany (Mission Hills)Record: 1-0 |
Last week: Beat Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks), 21-9
Next game: Friday at Bishop Amat
9. Los AlamitosRecord: 2-0 |
Last week: Beat Corona del Mar, 52-28
Next game: Friday vs. Edison
10. Bishop Amat (La Puente)Record: 1-0 |
Last week: Beat Cathedral, 21-6
Next game: Friday vs. Bishop Alemany
11. Oaks Christian (Westlake Village)
Record: 2-0 |
Last week: Beat Westlake, 30-16
Next game: Friday at Sierra Canyon
12. Long Beach Poly (Long Beach)Record: 2-0 |
Last week: Beat Lakewood, 41-0
Next game: Friday vs. Long Beach Wilson
13. FolsomRecord: 2-0 |
Last week: Beat Granite Bay 35-25
Next game: Friday vs. Del Oro
14. Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita)Record: 1-1 |
Last week: Lost to St. John Bosco 65-28
Next game: Thursday vs. JSerra at Santa Ana Bowl
15. Loyola (Los Angeles)Record: 0-0 |
Last week: idle
Next game: Friday at St. Bernard
16. Serra (San Mateo)Record: 1-0 |
Last week: Beat Valley Christian (San Jose), 33-27
Next game: Saturday vs. Sacred Heart Cathedral
17. Cathedral Catholic (San Diego)Record: 2-0 |
Last week: Beat Steele Canyon, 49-0
Next game: Friday vs. St. Augustine
18. San ClementeRecord: 1-0 |
Last week: Beat Capistrano Valley, 34-24
Next game: Friday vs. Aliso Niguel
19. Central (Fresno)Record: 1-0 |
Last week: Beat Clovis 35-31
Next game: Friday vs. Buchanan (Clovis)
20. Grace Brethren (Simi Valley)Record: 0-0 |
Last week: Idle
Next game: April 3 at Calabasas
21. Edison (Huntington Beach)Record: 2-0 |
Last week: Beat Newport Harbor, 47-14
Next game: Friday at Los Alamitos
22. Rancho Verde (Moreno Valley)Record: 1-0 |
Last week: Beat JW North, 41-0
Next game: Saturday at Heritage
23. St. Augustine (San Diego)Record: 2-0 |
Last week: Beat Madison, 24-7
Next game: Friday at Cathedral Catholic
24. Serra (Gardena)Record: 1-1 |
Last week: Beat Chaminade, 12-6 (OT)
Next game: Friday vs. Cathedral at El Camino College
25. CarlsbadRecord: 1-0 |
Last week: Beat Torrey Pines, 42-0
Next game: Friday at San Marcos
MaxPreps National Football editor Zack Poff contributed to this report.
