Mater Dei Isn’t Pushed Hard by St. John Bosco

FULLERTON — Top-ranked Mater Dei was hoping to test itself against visiting Bellflower St. John Bosco, which is also a Division I team.

Instead, the Monarchs barely broke a sweat for the second week in a row, defeating the Braves, 40-7, Thursday in front of an estimated 6,000 at Cal State Fullerton. It was the 16th consecutive victory for the defending champions, who have outscored their first two opponents, 95-7.

“We made a bit of a statement tonight,” Mater Dei Coach Bruce Rollinson said. “We showed when we execute right we have an offense that has to be dealt with.”

In rolling up 359 yards of total offense to only 113 yards by St. John Bosco, Mater Dei (2-0) had plenty of heroes to go around.

Tailback Mike McNair had another good week, rushing for 161 yards and two touchdowns in 25 carries. (He also had two fumbles.) Quarterback John Leonard completed eight of 18 passes for 167 yards and a touchdown.

Receiver Joey Boese had a big night for Mater Dei, catching seven passes for 150 yards and a touchdown. Boese also returned a third-quarter kickoff 93 yards for another score.

That was the game’s key play, because it came after Bosco (0-2) got its only score of the night, an 80-yard dash down the left sideline by running back Eric Ayers. It cut Mater Dei’s lead to 19-7.

There was a scare in the third quarter when Braves offensive lineman Richard Alvarez, while blocking, took a knee to the head and was motionless on the ground after a St. John Bosco running play. Alvarez was taken to St. Jude’s Hospital in Fullerton, where he was kept overnight for observation.

The Braves were going to load up the front defensive wall to stop McNair, but Mater Dei came out throwing--with spectacular results.

On the game’s first play, from the Mater Dei 36, Leonard and Boese hooked up for a 57-yard completion. That set up McNair’s seven-yard sweep around Bosco’s left end for a touchdown.

Although Mater Dei was able to move the ball, the Monarchs could not get into the end zone again. Their other scores came on a 21-yard first-quarter field goal by Matt Grootegoed, and a safety in the second quarter, when the Braves snapped the ball over punter Joe Nadaklsky’s head and out of the end zone.

St. John Bosco found few holes in Mater Dei’s defense. The Braves had only two first downs in the half; the running game netted only 18 yards and Aguilar completed only two of four passes for six yards.