Mater Dei holds off second-half surge from De La Salle to win CIF Open Division State Title

The nation’s No. 1 team according to the On3 Composite High School Football Ranking, Mater Dei, capped off a perfect 13-0 season Saturday with a 37-15 win against De La Salle in the CIF Open Division Championship. The Monarchs jumped on De La Salle early and fended off a second-half rally to secure the perfect season.

On the game’s first drive, Mater Dei went 80 yards in seven plays to take a 7-0 lead after a short touchdown run from Oregon signee Jordon Davison.

A 90-yard touchdown strike from Mater Dei quarterback Dash Beierly to Gavin Honore shortly after gave the Monarchs a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.

Just before halftime, Mater Dei was about to point more points on the board when a bad De La Salle snap resulted in a safety, making it 16-0. Getting the ball with just over two minutes left the that half, Mater Dei began to drive again. Beierly connected with Kayden Dixon-Wyatt for a 22-yard touchdown to make it 23-0.

De La Salle was able to sustain a drive to open third quarter. The Spartans found success on the ground, and marched the ball down the field 65 yards, after only having 22 total yards in the first half. A quarterback sneak by Toa Faavae got De La Salle on the board and cut Mater Dei’s lead to 23-7.

After a quick three and out, De La Salle got the ball back. Faavave broke off a 41-yard touchdown run, and a two-point conversion tightened the game to 23-15 Mater Dei late in the third quarter.

Mater Dei was able to respond with a clutch drive of their own. After converting a fourth and one and a third and 13, the Monarchs were able to score again on a 16-yard touchdown run by Davison, his second of the game. The score extended the Monarchs’ lead to 30-15 with just over eight minutes left in the game.

De La Salle was not able to convert a fake punt on the next drive. Mater Dei iced the game two plays later when Beierly hit Mark Bowman for a 31-yard touchdown pass to secure the victory.

This is Mater Dei’s second straight state title. De La Salle falls to 11-1 on the season.