Mater Dei Wraps Up Serra League Title, 28-0

After gaining only 28 yards in the first quarter, Mater Dei rolled to a 28-0 victory over Bellflower St. John Bosco Friday night to clinch the Serra League title.

Two possessions and two punts in the first quarter gave way to an explosive second quarter for Mater Dei (8-2, 3-0), which scored on each of its three possessions in the period. Then the Monarch defense held the Braves to 32 yards in the second half.

Mater Dei drove to St. John Bosco’s 29-yard line on its first possession, but quarterback Matt Leinart was sacked, and a penalty forced the Monarchs to punt.

Matt Grootegoed put the Monarchs ahead with 10:53 to play in the second quarter on a 51-yard touchdown run. Grootegoed had runs of five and 17 yards prior to the scoring run.

The Monarchs’ next score, a two-yard run by Junior Palacios, was set up by Leinart’s 39-yard pass to Lewis Clapp. Leinart finished with 142 yards passing, competing 11 of 16 passes. He threw for one touchdown and was intercepted once.

A nine-play, 90-yard drive, capped by a three-yard Leinart-to-Tyler Kruse pass, put the Monarchs up 21-0 at the half.

In the third quarter, Palacios scored again on a two-yard run with 44 seconds left, concluding an 11-play, 72-yard drive that consumed 5 minutes 26 seconds.

St. John Bosco (3-7, 1-2) ran the ball well early, compiling 53 yards in the first quarter. But the Braves gained only 128 yards of total offense in the game, including 10 passing.

Palacios (86 yards in 14 carries) and Grootegoed (107 in seven carries) led Mater Dei’s rushing attack, which tallied 218 yards.