Mater Dei Lets Sparks Fly Again in Victory Over Riverside Poly

It was the Derek Sparks Show Part II as Mater Dei High School rolled past Riverside Poly, 31-7, at Santa Ana Stadium Thursday night.

Sparks, playing in his second game for the Monarchs since transfering from Van Nuys Montclair Prep, ran for 184 yards in 25 carries and scored three touchdowns. Riverside Poly’s (0-3-1) only satisfaction on the evening came at the outset, when Jami Anderson scored on a 20-yard run with four minutes left in the first quarter.

After that, Mater Dei (2-2) came alive, with Sparks scoring twice in a span of four minutes to give the Monarchs a comfortable 24-7 lead at halftime.

Mater Dei scored its first points on a 16-yard field goal by Cliff Roberts and upped the score to 10-7 on a 14-yard pass play from quarterback Billy Blanton to running back David Gonzalez.

The Monarchs turned the ball over four times in the first half, including an interception at the Mater Dei 20 in the first quarter that was followed by Riverside Poly’s touchdown.

“Well, you say it, he just keeps coming back,” Mater Dei Coach Bruce Rollinson said of Sparks, who sat out the fourth quarter.