CIF Open Championship: Mater Dei Mauls San Mateo Serra

Mater Dei’s Marcus Harris (10) makes a reception in front of Serra’s Jaden Green (3) in the second quarter of their CIF state football championship open division game at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Calif., on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
Mater Dei’s Marcus Harris (10) makes a reception in front of Serra’s Jaden Green (3) in the second quarter of their CIF state football championship open division game at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Calif., on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

As fully expected, one of the best prep football powers in California history demolished the best Northern California teams over the last two years to win the CIF Open Division state champions when Mater Dei mauled San Mateo Serra, 35-0, Saturday night (Dec. 10) at Saddleback College. 

Mater Dei quarterback Elijah Brown, a Stanford committ, showcased his ample ability with four touchdown passes and the Monarch defense made sure the Padres didn't have prayer by limiting them to 58 yards total offense while registering their fifth shutout of the season. The Monarchs compiled 358 yards. 

It was Mater Dei’s fourth state bowl title since 2017 and the Monarchs are expected to maintain their No. 1 national rankingit left no doubt which team is No. 1 in California this year.

For those football fanatics tracking the national events of the day, Mater Dei's win came a few hours after LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels was awarded the Heisman Trophy as the best player in college football. Brown is carrying forward a regional reputation . Daniels starred at Cajon High in San Bernardino. Brown completed 17 of his 22 passes for 298 yards and zero interceptions. He sat out the last five minutes.

The four-year starter added to the legacy of All-CIF signal-callers in the Santa Ana Catholic school’s storied history — a list that includes Heisman Trophy winners John Huarte, Matt Leinart and Bryce Young. Brown will graduate with maybe the best resume of them all with 9,277 yards passingl and 115 touchdowns. He leaves with a 44-2 record with two Southern Section titles and two state bowl titles.

“It means a lot but it was a total team effort,” Brown said. “All of the hard work over the last four years has been worth it. This is what we came here to do.”

“It means a lot to me but it’s a team effort,” he said. “I grew up with all these guys. Being able to be seniors at Mater Dei like this, and win at the highest level, that’s something great that can happen.”

Mater Dei set the stage for the Open final by defeating rival St. John Bosco 35-7 in the CIF-SS Division 1 final at the Coliseum on Nov. 24. The Monarchs posted the victory after being shut out by the Braves 28-0 in a stunning result in the teams’ Trinity League showdown in mid-October. St. John Bosco also edged the Monarchs 24-22 in the CIF-SS Division 1 final in 2022, spoiling the final game for Hall of Fame coach Bruce Rollinson.

The Monarchs, who improved to 4-0 in state bowl competition and captured their first under Frank McManus, hired in February to fill the shoes of the retired Bruce Rollinson, who stepped down last December after a 47-year coaching career — the last 34 as head coach — at his alma mater.

“It feels pretty good,” McManus said. “There were a few too many penalties but I’m proud of the boys. It was a long season but their preparation and dedication showed.”

Mater Dei built a 21-0 halftime lead despite being penalized 10 times for 80 yards, 30 more yards than Serra’s offensive output in the first half. By game’s end the Monarchs (13-1) had committed 16 penalties for 150 yards, but it hardly mattered because they limited Serra’s high-powered offense to 58 yards. Mater Dei finished with 386 yards and averaged nearly nine yards per play.

Brown threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mark Bowman to open the scoring with 4:56 left in the first quarter. On the Monarchs’ next possession, Brown hit Marcus Harris in stride down the sideline for a 74-yard touchdown that doubled the lead with 1:41 left in the first quarter. Jonah Smith’s 12-yard touchdown reception made it 21-0 late in the second quarter.

Teddy Chung recovered an onside kick to open the second half for the Padres (12-1), but on the third play of their ensuing drive nose guard Tomu Topui recovered a fumble for Mater Dei, which took a 28-0 lead a few minutes later on Jordon Davison’s eight-yard run.

Brown’s fourth touchdown toss — a 31-yarder to Jack Ressler to open the fourth quarter — gave Mater Dei a commanding 35-0 and started a running clock.

Mater Dei’s victory marks the seventh straight time the Southern California representative has won the Open Division title, which was added in 2008. Southern California schools hold a 9-8 edge in the highest division since the state bowls debuted in 2006 when there were only three divisions.

Serra was making its third consecutive appearance in the Open Division final, losing last year to St. John Bosco 45-0 and to Mater Dei 44-7 in 2021 at the same venue. The Padres fell to 1-5 in state bowl games, losing to Corona del Mar 35-27 in Division 1-A in 2019 and 42-40 to Sierra Canyon in Division 2-A in 2016. Their lone win was a 38-14 triumph over Cajon in Division 2-AA in 2017 at Sacramento State.

The total attendance for the day’s three bowls at Saddleback was 8,233.

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