Football notes: Mater Dei rises to No. 1 in three national rankings

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Mater Dei’s upset victory against St. John Bosco in the CIF-SS Division 1 championship moved the Monarchs to the top of three of the four major national high school polls Monday and closer to a second consecutive national title.

After posting a 17-13 victory against nationally top-ranked St. John Bosco (13-1) on Friday, Mater Dei (12-2) replaced its rival at No. 1 in MaxPreps’ Xcellent 25 and Freeman rankings as well as High School Football America’s 100 national rankings.

The Monarchs avenged a 41-13 loss to St. John Bosco in the Trinity League on Oct. 13.

Mater Dei is third in the latest USA Today Super 25 national rankings, behind new No. 1 Allen of Texas (12-0) and No. 2 St. John Bosco, which was No. 1 before its loss Friday night.

The Monarchs will aim to seal a national title Dec. 8 when they play in the CIF State Open Division championship at Cerritos College against a Northern California opponent to be announced.

De La Salle (11-0), which Mater Dei beat in the state final last season, plays Liberty of Brentwood (11-0) in the North Coast Section Open Division final on Saturday night in the East Bay.

De La Salle has claimed the North Coast Section’s top division every year since 1991 and is the likely opponent for Mater Dei, said Mark Tennis, editor of CalHiSports.com.

Tennis said an intriguing question could arise if Liberty upsets De La Salle and is pitted against Sac-Joaquin Section favorite Folsom for the state berth.

ROLLINSON NEARS MILESTONE

Mater Dei coach Bruce Rollinson earned his 299th career victory at Mater Dei on Friday and can claim No. 300 in the state championship game.

Rollinson, in his 30th season at Mater Dei, would join Bob Johnson, John Barnes and Mike Marrujo as the only Orange County coaches with 300 career victories.

RECORDS FOR CAINE SAVAGE

Western wide receiver Caine Savage caught four touchdown passes in the Pioneers’ 49-21 victory against Peninsula on Friday in the CIF Division 11 final to set the Orange County single-season record with 29.

Savage broke the mark of fellow junior John Humphreys of Corona del Mar, who has 28 this season.

Savage can tie the Southern Section single-season record of 30 with one more touchdown reception Friday at San Gorgonio in the SoCal regionals. Matt Byer of Oak Park holds the section record with 30 in 2013.

Savage has already set the county’s single-season records for receptions (112) and receiving yards (1,828).

CDM HUNGRY AFTER LOSS

Corona del Mar coach Dan O’Shea said his players attended weight training Monday, just two days after a 26-14 loss in the CIF-SS Division 4 final against Grace Brethren.

The top-seeded Sea Kings (11-2-1) had a 12-game unbeaten streak snapped.

“They are proud of what they accomplished,” O’Shea said, “but all showed up (Monday) to the weight room to start the drive for 2019.”

Corona del Mar will return 10 starters on offense and six on defense. The defensive players are lineman Carter Duss, linebackers Luke Sullivan and Chase Zanck, corner Chandler Fincher and safeties Tommy Griffin and Mason Gecowets.

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