Mater Dei routs Sierra Canyon, punches ticket to seventh straight Division 1 final

Mater Dei will take on St. John Bosco in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 final on Nov. 24 at the LA Memorial Coliseum

SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA - When St. John Bosco shutout Mater Dei and won by four touchdowns earlier this season, it created a notion that maybe the Monarchs could be beaten with a fast start.

Sierra Canyon was determined to start fast. But instead, it was Mater Dei that punched first and never looked back in its 42-14 semifinal victory over Sierra Canyon Friday night.

It puts Mater Dei (11-1) in its seventh straight CIF Southern Section Division 1 final where it will take on St. John Bosco at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Nov. 24.

St. John Bosco defeated Corona Centennial 43-42 after stopping Centennial’s two-point conversion attempt with eight seconds left.

CIF Southern Section, LA City Section football semifinal scores

Stanford-bound quarterback Elijah Brown threw for 200 yards and two touchdowns on 12 of 19 passing. Ajon Bryant ran for 108 yards and two touchdowns on 10 rushes.

Sierra Canyon (11-1) fumbled on its opening possession. Jeilani Davis forced the fumble and Chuck McDonald returned it 22 yards to the Sierra Canyon 2-yard line before Ajon Bryant scored to put Mater Dei up 7-0 in less than two minutes.

Bryant bolted for a 55-yard touchdown on Mater Dei’s second possession, and in four plays the Monarchs were up 14-0 in the snap of a finger.

Sierra Canyon responded with a 8-play, 76-yard drive capped by a touchdown by Dane Dunn to pull within 14-7 at the end of the first quarter, but it would be the closest the Trailblazers would get.

Jordon Davison scored a rushing touchdown to make it 21-7 in favor of Mater Dei before Elijah Brown connected with Marcus Harris to make it 28-7 at halftime. The third quarter score was 42-7. The fourth quarter was a running clock.

Sierra Canyon quarterback Wyatt Becker threw for 231 yards on 20 of 41 passing and one touchdown. 

The Trailblazers ran 61 offensive plays to Mater Dei’s 43. Sierra Canyon passed the ball 41 times.

SIGHTS & SOUNDS

A little pregame fireworks here at Santa Ana Stadium before Sierra Canyon-Mater Dei.

Players chirping at each other. Big game. D1 semifinals pic.twitter.com/t3B5d4fYYB

— Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) November 18, 2023

Big hit for Mater Dei’s Semi Taulanga. pic.twitter.com/fEuG8DFF1F

— Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) November 18, 2023

A little bit of life from Sierra Canyon. It comes from the defense. Jae’on Young interception.

Trailblazers will start their fourth offensive possession trailing Mater Dei 14-0. 1Q pic.twitter.com/ni4FI9mST0

— Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) November 18, 2023

Elijah Brown to Marcus Harris. TD

Mater Dei scores just before halftime, makes it 28-7 over Sierra Canyon at the break. pic.twitter.com/kym56AFUoh

— Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) November 18, 2023