No. 1 in the Preseason MaxPreps Top 25 high school football rankings,
Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) may have to wait another week to get its 2021 campaign underway after
Centennial (Corona, Calif.) announced Friday that two players have tested positive for COVID-19 and they will not compete in the scheduled Aug. 20 opener.
"This determination was made as a result of two players testing positive for COVID-19," a press release distributed by the Corona-Norco Unified School District read. "Although these cases were contracted outside of campus, it was determined that the two players did have close contact with two separate cohorts within the football program."
It was the second blow to Mater Dei's schedule this week as
Mililani (Hawaii) was forced out of a Sept. 11 after the season was delayed in the Aloha State in an effort to get all players and coaches vaccinated.
At the Trinity League Media Day Friday, Mater Dei coach Bruce Rollinson told reporters that the Monarchs are working on replacing the two games, but "we might have to be road warriors."
He admitted that after a calm break from the shortened spring season "the last three days I'm feeling the same stress I felt for months last year with COVID," Rollinson said.
Mater Dei quarterback Elijah Brown may have to wait another week to make his sophomore debut.
Photo by Heston Quan
