St. John Bosco delivers powerful message in a stunning shutout of Mater Dei

Jason Negro wasn’t too keen on hearing the weekly hype of Mater Dei’s football team being “anointed,” as he put it, to be the best in Southern California high school football before his St. John Bosco team had a chance to test the Monarchs. He played along, the veteran St. John Bosco coach and his staff quietly plotting a response.

A sold-out crowd in Bellflower on Friday night witnessed a startling change in the narrative. It was St. John Bosco inflicting big plays on defense and executing on offense en route to a 28-0 victory. Mater Dei (7-1) had not trailed all season, but the Monarchs looked confused and uncomfortable from beginning to end in losing to the defending Southern Section Division 1 champions.

“My message is the same,” Negro said. “We’re still a champion until someone knocks us off.”

St. John Bosco (7-1), which took over first place in the Trinity League and is now poised to receive the No. 1 seed for the Division 1 playoffs, received a huge game from its offensive line. With King Large and Matai Jefferson providing the beef up front, running back Cameron Jones was able to contribute a one-yard touchdown run, a 20-yard touchdown reception and gain 134 yards in 21 carries.

“Them boys were opening holes,” Jones said.

St. John Bosco defensive linemen Max Amasio (left) and Epi Sitanilei Usumalii each had sacks against Mater Dei.

(Craig Weston)

Added Large: “We had a great week of practice and were locked in. We focused on us. We didn’t focus on them. We’re getting better every week. We haven’t even peaked.”

On defense, St. John Bosco pressured Mater Dei quarterback Elijah Brown so effectively that the Monarchs’ passing game was nonexistent and running the ball never became a viable option. Underrated nose tackle Maxwell Amasio was a pest getting into the backfield. Brown completed 10 of 21 passes for 115 yards. Cornerback Frankie Edwards had a pass breakup and an interception for the Braves.

St. John Bosco won the Division 1 title last season with a 24-22 win over Mater Dei at the Rose Bowl, but the Monarchs came into this season heavily favored with virtually its entire team of starters back, led by Brown, a four-year starter who came in with a 36-1 record. Except now Brown is 36-2, with both losses coming to St. John Bosco.

“Bosco just played a great game,” said Mater Dei first-year coach Frank McManus, who indicated he thought the Braves had figured out his team’s hand signals, something that will be changed if they play again this season.

McManus was scrambling in the first half. His team used its three timeouts by the time there was 10 minutes left in the second quarter.

St. John Bosco was ahead 14-0 at halftime and took a 21-0 in the third quarter when the Braves broke out a trick play, as quarterback Caleb Sanchez threw a lateral to Stacy Dobbins, who passed 28 yards for a touchdown to Tommy Maher. Chauncey Sylvester scored on a nine-yard run with 2:49 left to complete a thorough, stunning beatdown of the Monarchs. It was the first time since 2011 that Mater Dei had been shut out.

The pregame hype (it sold out in three minutes via GoFan.co) could be seen, smelled and heard. Mater Dei tailgaters showed up in RVs four hours before kickoff, lit their stoves, turned up the music, broke out beverages and partied. A fan said he traveled from Las Vegas to watch the game. McManus did a live interview with KTLA in the middle of warmups. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian and Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin spent a night of their bye weeks at cozy Panish Family Stadium (capacity 6,400).

St. John Bosco’s win changes playoff scenarios. Now it could be No. 2 Mater Dei playing No. 3 Sierra Canyon in the semifinals, with Corona Centennial taking on St. John Bosco. Then there could be a St. John Bosco-Mater Dei rematch.

“See you down the road,” Negro told Mater Dei president Michael Brennan.