PREP FOOTBALL GAMES AT A GLANCE

No. 4 Mater Dei (1-2) vs. No. 6 Irvine (2-0-1)

7:30 TONIGHT IRVINE HIGH

Irvine is 0 for 5 against Mater Dei and has been outscored, 63-0, in the last two meetings. But are the Monarchs, with a losing record, ripe for an upset? “It’s silly for people to think Mater Dei is down,” Irvine Coach Terry Henigan said. “That’s crazy. They’ll just be in a nastier mood since they’ve lost two games already.” Mater Dei also will play a home team that is young, with only two returning starters on offense and one on defense. The Vaqueros will need to manufacture some big plays, limit the Monarchs to few big gainers and, Henigan said, “We need to match their physical play or it’ll be ugly, ugly, ugly.”

KEY PLAYERS

Mater Dei

WR Jeff Diulio

13 rec., 183 yds., 1 TD

QB Matt Grootegoed

139 yds. rush, 181 yds. pass

RB Junior Palacios

36 carries, 195 yds., 2 TDs

Irvine

QB Mike Ricci

34 of 56, 395 yds., 4 TDs

RB Keith Short

32 carries, 201 yds., 4 TDs

WR James Whitted

11 rec., 101 yds., 3 TDs