How to watch, listen: No. 1 Mater Dei takes on No. 9 St. John Bosco in high school football's biggest rivalry

Top-ranked Monarchs hope to erase stinging memory of last year's postseason loss to Braves.

By
Oct 10, 2023, 2:30pm
Ahead of what has become high school football's biggest regular season game nationally over the past decade, No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) and No. 9 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) both dominated Trinity League matchups over the weekend.

While Bosco's loss to Kahuku (Hawaii) three weeks ago took some of the luster off this year's showdown, the Southern California powerhouses have combined to win six straight state titles and four national titles since 2017. Mater Dei is in the driver's seat to add to those totals this season.

How to watch
Date: Friday, Oct. 13 | Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Location: Panish Family Stadium, Bellflower
Streaming: NFHS Network
Live audio: MaxPreps

Mater Dei and St. John Bosco are expected to put upward of 75 players with FBS offers on the field at Panish Family Stadium.

Last Friday, the top-ranked Monarchs handled Servite (Anaheim) 42-0 behind 329 yards and three touchdowns from Stanford-bound senior quarterback Elijah Brown. Mater Dei (7-0) has allowed just 15 points in its last four games and 43 for the season.
While Mater Dei's offensive stars garner much of the attention, the Monarchs have been perhaps even more impressive defensively this season. (Photo: Paul Rodriguez)
While Mater Dei's offensive stars garner much of the attention, the Monarchs have been perhaps even more impressive defensively this season. (Photo: Paul Rodriguez)
St. John Bosco (5-1) scored 42 first-half points Friday on the way to a 56-27 win over JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano). Senior signal caller Caleb Sanchez threw for five touchdowns and UCLA-bound running back Cameron Jones ran for two.

Mater Dei is 8-4 against Bosco since 2016 but likely still stinging from a loss in a last year's Southern Section Division 1 championship game at the Rose Bowl. Not only did that end hopes of state and national titles for the Monarchs, it was the final game in the legendary coaching career of Bruce Rollinson.

Incredibly, Mater Dei hasn't lost to anybody except St. John Bosco since November of 2015.

Mater Dei vs. St. John Bosco since 2016
2016 – Mater Dei 26, St. John Bosco 21
2016 – St. John Bosco 42, Mater Dei 28 *
2017 – Mater Dei 31, St. John Bosco 21
2017 – Mater Dei 49, St. John Bosco 24 *
2018 – St. John Bosco 41, Mater Dei 18
2018 – Mater Dei 17, St. John Bosco 13 *
2019 – Mater Dei 38, St. John Bosco 24
2019 – St. John Bosco 39, Mater Dei 34 *
2021 – Mater Dei 34, St. John Bosco 17 **
2021 – Mater Dei 42, St. John Bosco 21
2022 – Mater Dei 17, St. John Bosco 7
2022 – St. John Bosco 22, Mater Dei 22 *
* Playoff game / ** Spring 2021 season due to pandemic

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