Long Beach, California – The much-anticipated 2024 CIF Division 1 Southern Section championship saw powerhouse high school teams Mater Dei and St. John Bosco come head-to-head once again. These two teams have a long history of battling it out, and this game was no different. Mater Dei, which had beat St. John Bosco in the regular season, entered the game ranked No. 1 in the nation while St. John Bosco was ranked No. 10.
The game kicked off at 7 p.m. PT at Veterans Stadium, with St. John Bosco receiving the first possession. They began their drive on the 20 but couldn’t capitalize after an early interception by Mater Dei’s Daryus Dixson. This set up a field goal for the Monarchs, giving them a 3-0 lead early in the first quarter.
As the game progressed, both teams traded touchdowns. Mater Dei’s Jordon Davison scored two touchdowns, while St. John Bosco’s Koa Malau’ulu connected with Madden Williams for a touchdown, tightening the score to 17-14 at halftime.
The second half started with both teams struggling to find their rhythm. However, Jordon Davison was unstoppable, scoring another touchdown to put Mater Dei ahead 24-21 by the end of the third quarter. St. John Bosco kept pushing, with Maliq Allen rushing for a touchdown, but they found themselves trailing late in the game.
With just over two minutes left, St. John Bosco attempted a comeback with a field goal from CJ Wallace, cutting the lead to 31-24. The Braves even executed a perfect onside kick, but Daryus Dixson sealed the deal for Mater Dei with an impressive catch, allowing them to run the clock down and secure the victory.
Mater Dei emerged victorious, continuing their dominant season, while St. John Bosco showed flashes of brilliance in a hard-fought game. This championship game not only highlighted the talent in California high school football but also set the stage for more thrilling encounters in future seasons.
