High school football: How to watch No. 3 St. John Bosco vs. No. 5 Mater Dei in CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship

Trinity League rivals meet in section championship for sixth time since 2016.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Thomas Frey
By
Nov 22, 2023, 11:30am
For the sixth time since 2016, No. 3 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) will meet No. 5 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship Friday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Defending national champion St. John Bosco won the game in 2016, 2019 and 2022. The Monarchs took the Southern Section crown in 2017, 2018 and in 2021 (against Servite). On four of those occasions, the winner went on to finish No. 1 nationally.

How to watch
When: Friday, Nov. 25 | 7 p.m.
Where: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Stream: NFHS Network

Both teams are 11-1 and met in mid-October with St. John Bosco winning 28-0. Mater Dei hasn't lost since. Led by senior Stanford pledge Elijah Brown at quarterback, the Monarchs rolled through their first two playoff games, including a 42-14 victory over Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) last week in the semifinals.

Brown has thrown for 2,531 yards this season and 8,870 for his career with 109 touchdown passes. He is 3-2 against Bosco while throwing for nearly 1,000 yards in those meetings.

St. John Bosco is coming off a thrilling 43-42 victory over No. 19 Centennial (Corona) in the semifinals last week. Senior quarterback Caleb Sanchez threw six touchdown passes in the instant classic, bringing his season total to 34.

Players to watch

St. John Bosco: LB Kyngstonn Viliamu-asa (6-3, 230), DB Marcelles Williams (6-0, 175), DB Peyton Woodyard (6-2, 195), QB Caleb Sanchez (6-4, 230), DL Max Amasio (5-11, 250)

Mater Dei: QB Elijah Brown (6-2, 205), OL Brandon Baker (6-5, 285), DL Nasir Wyatt (6-2, 210), DB Zabien Brown (6-0, 180), DL Aydin Breland (6-5, 290)

Series history since 2016
2016 – Mater Dei 26, St. John Bosco 21
2016 – St. John Bosco 42, Mater Dei 28 *
2017 – Mater Dei 31, St. John Bosco 21
2017 – Mater Dei 49, St. John Bosco 24 *
2018 – St. John Bosco 41, Mater Dei 18
2018 – Mater Dei 17, St. John Bosco 13 *
2019 – Mater Dei 38, St. John Bosco 24
2019 – St. John Bosco 39, Mater Dei 34 *
2021 – Mater Dei 34, St. John Bosco 17 **
2021 – Mater Dei 42, St. John Bosco 21
2022 – Mater Dei 17, St. John Bosco 7
2022 – St. John Bosco 22, Mater Dei 22 *
2023 – St. John Bosco 28, Mater Dei 0
* Playoff game
** Spring 2021 season due to pandemic
Senior quarterback Elijah Brown of Mater Dei hopes to extend his high school career Friday against rival St. John Bosco. (Photo: Marc Gewertz)
Senior quarterback Elijah Brown of Mater Dei hopes to extend his high school career Friday against rival St. John Bosco. (Photo: Marc Gewertz)

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