Bishop Amat Dominates Mater Dei in Victory

Bishop Amat High School showed its power in every aspect of the game Friday night with a 34-18 victory over Mater Dei in an Angelus League game in front of an estimated 7,000 at Santa Ana Stadium.

The Lancers (3-3, 1-1) especially dominated on the ground, with fine performances from Motu Ili (103 yards and 2 touchdowns in 21 carries), Jess Holguin (73 yards in 7 carries) and Jason Patterson (49 yards, 6 carries).

And although Mater Dei quarterback Danny O’Neil completed 21 of 32 passes for 316 yards--252 in the second half--it was good enough for just one touchdown, albeit a doozy, on a 62-yard play to Tino Chavez midway through the fourth quarter.

That play sparked the start of a rally for Mater Dei (3-4 overall, 1-1 in league play), but Bishop Amat’s relentless defense fizzled the Monarchs’ hopes.

Bishop Amat took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter by simply outsmarting the Mater Dei defense.

Bishop Amat quarterback Zack Zertuche hit Jason Green on a 16-yard touchdown pass, and Ili scored on a one-yard run. Eric White’s 27-yard field goal helped Bishop Amat to a 17-0 lead going into halftime.

Zertuche completed 9 of 14 passes for 118 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Mater Dei finally scored when O’Neil dove one yard in the third quarter. The Monarchs also scored in the fourth quarter on a one-yard run by Kealii Clifford.

“This football team (Bishop Amat) is a good, good football team,” Mater Dei Coach Bruce Rollinson said.

“I wouldn’t change anything I did tonight. I have to look back at the films. Basically, we just got hammered by a good football team. We were out of sync after they got up, 14-0.”

Mater Dei had the most difficulty stopping Ili, who continually frustrated the Monarch defense with spins off tackle for extra yardage. Ili, who went out in the second quarter with an ankle injury, returned in the third and immediately scored on a four-yard run.

Bishop Amat receiver Jeremy Smith, who caught five passes for 56 yards, also seemed to dazzle Mater Dei defenders.

The game was delayed 25 minutes late in the fourth quarter when Bishop Amat defensive lineman Gerard Smith suffered an apparent head injury. He was taken to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana by paramedics.