Mater Dei Monarchs Kick Off High School Football Season with Victory in Florida
Mater Dei, ranked No. 1, commenced their high school football season in Florida on Saturday, mirroring their performance from the previous season when they remained undefeated despite committing numerous mistakes in the second half. The team’s new quarterback, Ryan Hopkins, threw three touchdown passes, paving the way for a 26-23 victory against Fort Lauderdale Aquinas, a team that has won six consecutive titles in Florida.
Chris Henry Jr. caught two of Hopkins’ touchdown passes, covering 22 and 82 yards, while Gavin Honore had a 62-yard touchdown reception. After falling behind 3-0 in the first quarter, Mater Dei scored 26 consecutive points, leading 26-3 at halftime. However, the Monarchs failed to score in the second half, providing coach Raul Lara with ample work to do.
Improvement Areas for the Monarchs
Despite their victory, the Monarchs were far from perfect, committing two interceptions that ended with fumbles while returning, and missing two point-after attempts. They also incurred numerous penalties, including 15-yard fouls for unsportsmanlike conduct, late hits, facemask, and horse collar, totaling 13 penalties for 140 yards through three quarters. The defense, however, continued to excel in stopping the run, with USC commit Tomuhini TopUi recording a sack and Shaun Scott excelling at the linebacker position.
Danny Lang led the secondary with two pass breakups, while Aquinas had a fourth-and-goal attempt from the one-yard line to start the fourth quarter, which they failed to convert due to a fumble. Hopkins was soon intercepted, and Aquinas scored on a quarterback option from Mason Mallory, narrowing the deficit to 26-16. They further closed the gap to 26-23 with a touchdown pass with 1:36 left, but Mater Dei managed to run out the clock.
Upcoming Games and League Performance
Hopkins ended the game with 272 yards, while Henry had four catches for 134 yards. The Monarchs are set to face Bishop Montgomery on Friday, a game that is likely to result in a running clock, given Bishop Montgomery’s loss of five transfers due to ineligibility. Mater Dei was one of three Trinity League teams that opened their season in Florida, with St. John Bosco winning on Friday evening in a game halted due to lightning, and Orange Lutheran securing a 17-13 victory against Miami Northwestern.
Three other Trinity League teams – Santa Margarita, JSerra, and Servite – lost their league openers on Friday. For more information on the game and the teams’ performance, visit Here
Source: www.latimes.com
