St. John Bosco vs. Mater Dei Preview

In what seems like an annual tradition, St. John Bosco and Mater Dei will play each other as the top two teams in the nation.

These teams have met in six of the last seven CIF-SS Division 1 championship games. Ironically, in each year besides one, the team that has won the regular season matchup went on to lose the rematch in the championship game.

St. John Bosco won the regular season matchup last season 28-0. Mater Dei got its revenge in the championship game, winning 35-7.

Here is a breakdown of some of the players competing in the game Friday at Santa Ana Stadium.

Mater Dei: Dash Beierly Dash Beierly 6'1" | 215 lbs | QB Mater Dei | 2025 State CA has been really heating up at quarterback over the past few weeks. He threw three touchdown passes last week against JSerra and ran for another score. Beierly is committed to Washington and is getting more comfortable each week playing on a bigger stage.

St. John Bosco: Koa Malau’ulu Koa Malau’ulu 6'2" | 180 lbs | QB St. John Bosco | 2028 State CA has filled in nicely since Bosco's starting quarterback transferred to Kahuku midseason. The freshman threw for 217 yards with three touchdowns last week in a win over Servite. Mater Dei has the best defense Malau'ulu will see this season and we will see how he does under constant pressure.

Mater Dei: Oregon commit Jordon Davison Jordon Davison 6'0" | 215 lbs | RB Mater Dei | 2025 State CA ran for 106 yards and a touchdown last week against JSerra. Davison has scored a touchdown in five of six games he has played in this season and ran for over 100 yards three times. He is a downhill runner with a ton of burst once he gets through the second level.

St. John Bosco: Maliq Allen Maliq Allen 5'8" | 180 lbs | RB St. John Bosco | 2027 State CA has been a breakout sophomore running back for the Braves this season. Ashton Keyes ran for a touchdown last week against Servite.

Mater Dei: Marcus Harris Marcus Harris 6'1" | 175 lbs | WR Mater Dei | 2025 State CA and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt Kayden Dixon-Wyatt 6'3" | 185 lbs | WR Mater Dei | 2026 State CA are Mater Dei's top two receivers on the outside. Harris was a deep threat last week against JSerra and Dixon-Wyatt has made very tough catches near the sideline. Mark Bowman Mark Bowman 6'5" | 225 lbs | TE Mater Dei | 2026 State CA had two touchdowns last week at tight end and can cause matchup problems. Gavin Honore Gavin Honore 5'10" | 180 lbs | WR Mater Dei | 2027 State CA is a speedy sophomore who returns kicks and Koen Parnell Koen Parnell 6'1" | 180 lbs | WR Mater Dei | 2026 State CA will get some targets as well.

St. John Bosco: St. John Bosco's receiving corps is as good as its been in recent memory. Madden Williams Madden Williams 6'2" | 180 lbs | WR St John Bosco | 2026 State CA leads the pack with 642 yards and 10 touchdowns. Los Alamitos transfer Carson Clark Carson Clark 5'11" | 160 lbs | WR St. John Bosco | 2026 State CA has been a fantastic addition to the group and Daniel Odom Daniel Odom 6'2" | 180 lbs | WR St. John Bosco | 2026 State CA can catch anything underneath. Darren Tubbs and Christian Davis Christian Davis 6'0" | 175 lbs | DB Pompano Beach Blanche Ely | 2026 FL are two guys to keep an eye on as well.

Mater Dei: Kodi Greene Kodi Greene 6'6" | 320 lbs | OL Mater Dei | 2026 State CA , Sione Tohi Sione Tohi 6'4" | 355 lbs | OL Mater Dei | 2025 State CA , Talan Tumanuvao Talan Tumanuvao 6'0" | 320 lbs | OL Mater Dei | 2025 State CA , Jeremiah Ponce Jeremiah Ponce 6'4" | 300 lbs | OL Mater Dei | 2026 State CA , Lex Mailangi Lex Mailangi 6'4" | 340 lbs | OL Mater Dei | 2027 State CA , Joe Hamby Joe Hamby 6'6" | 330 lbs | OL Mater Dei | 2027 State CA . This is a loaded offensive line with two elite tackles in Greene and Tohi. Tumanuvao is violent with his hands and Mailangi is piling up offers.

St. John Bosco: Maddux Sorenson Maddux Sorenson 6'3" | 270 lbs | OL St. John Bosco | 2026 State CA , Gabriel Villalobos Gabriel Villalobos 6'1" | 310 lbs | OL St. John Bosco | 2027 State CA , Isaac Pula, Adrian Tavui Adrian Tavui 6'4" | 295 lbs | OL St. John Bosco | 2026 State CA , Matthew George Perdue Matthew George Perdue 6'2" | 280 lbs | OL St. John Bosco | 2025 State CA . Sorenson has been highly-ranked for awhile and has showed massive improvement this season. Perdue is a very good pass blocker. Bosco has a very good offensive line that will be tasked with blocking Mater Dei's elite pass rush.

Mater Dei: Mater Dei typically only plays with two down linemen with outside backers as edge rushers. Tomuhini Topui Tomuhini Topui 6'4" | 320 lbs | DL Mater Dei | 2026 State CA and Semi Taulanga Semi Taulanga 6'1" | 295 lbs | DL Mater Dei | 2025 State CA are the interior guys who do an excellent job in stopping the run and rushing the passer. In last year's championship game, Topui and Taulanga were a major key to Mater Dei's success.

St. John Bosco: Lance Olive-Enos is having a breakout season as a one-technique. Kekoa Peko is a sophomore three-technique who is stronger than he looks. Roman Paseka Roman Paseka 6'4" | 275 lbs | DL St. John Bosco | 2026 State CA will see a good amount playing time on the defensive line as well. Bosco has two edge rushers that may be the best dup in the state in Epi Sitanilei Epi Sitanilei 6'5" | 215 lbs | LB St. John Bosco | 2025 State CA and Dutch Horisk Dutch Horisk 6'3" | 240 lbs | DL St. John Bosco | 2026 State CA . Horisk flies off the edge and has excellent body control.

Mater Dei: Nasir Wyatt Nasir Wyatt 6'3" | 225 lbs | LB Mater Dei | 2025 State CA , Shaun Scott Shaun Scott 6'3" | 225 lbs | LB/TE Mater Dei | 2026 State CA , Abduall Sanders Abduall Sanders 6'2" | 225 lbs | LB Mater Dei | 2025 State CA , Lucas Campizta Lucas Campizta 6'2" | 225 lbs | LB Mater Dei | 2025 State CA , Dailon Clanton. Wyatt and Scott are the edge guys and Wyatt is the best edge rusher in the state. Scott has been playing well and had an interception against JSerra. Campizta is underrated as an inside backer and Sanders has sideline-to-sideline speed and moves laterally very well.

St. John Bosco: Cole Clifton, Josiah Poyer Josiah Poyer 6'2" | 215 lbs | LB St. John Bosco | 2027 State CA , Ahmeer Williamson Ahmeer Williamson 5'11" | 200 lbs | LB St. John Bosco | 2027 State CA , Justin Coach Justin Coach 6'3" | 215 lbs | LB St. John Bosco | 2027 State CA . Poyer and Clifton are every-down inside linebackers that combined for 25 tackles against Servite last week. Coach and Williamson are talented sophomores who will be big contributors down the line. This group is very underrated and I expected this unit to be the weakest group on Bosco's roster entering the season. Hand up, I was wrong.

Mater Dei: Daryus Dixson Daryus Dixson 6'1" | 180 lbs | DB Mater Dei | 2025 State CA , Chuck McDonald III Chuck McDonald III 6'1" | 190 lbs | DB Mater Dei | 2025 State CA , Cory Lavender Cory Lavender 5'10" | 170 lbs | DB Mater Dei | 2026 State CA , Ace Leutele Ace Leutele 6'1" | 195 lbs | DB Mater Dei | 2028 State CA , Aaryn Washington Aaryn Washington 6'0" | 165 lbs | DB Mater Dei | 2027 State CA . Dixson and McDonald are the best cornerback duo in the area when healthy and I love Dixson as a press-man corner. Lavender got a lot of playing time against JSerra, led the team in tackles and had a fumble recovery. Leutele is a star freshman safety who has a few picks this season.

St. John Bosco: Jacob Holmes Jacob Holmes 6'1" | 175 lbs | DB St. John Bosco | 2025 State CA , Dorian Franklin Dorian Franklin 5'11" | 175 lbs | DB St John Bosco | 2027 State CA , Isala Wily-Ava, Josh Holland Josh Holland 6'3" | 185 lbs | ATH St. John Bosco | 2026 State CA , Jashaun Shaffer Jashaun Shaffer 6'0" | 180 lbs | DB St. John Bosco | 2027 State CA . Wily-Ava is a safety who is having a breakout sophomore season. Holmes and Wily-Ava had interceptions last week against Servite. Holland was the best cornerback at the Battle at the Beach passing tournament for any team and Franklin is an excellent nickel corner.

Mater Dei: Dominic Zante (kicker) Joseph Gutierrez (punter, place kicker). Gutierrez has a 50-yard punt this season and three have been downed inside the 20-yard line. Half of his kickoffs are touchbacks. Zante has made 20 of 22 point after attempts and has made all five of his field goals. Mater Dei as a team has made seven field goals with its longest being from 36-yards out.

St. John Bosco: CJ Wallace kicks field goals, punts and place kicks for the Braves. He has made 39 of 42 PATs and has made a 42-yard field goal this season. 21 of his 46 kickoffs are touchbacks and he has a 62-yard punt under his belt. Six of his punts have been downed inside the 20.