Mater Dei: No. 1 in Division I : Southern Section: Monarchs have the answer for Bishop Amat’s McCutcheon in a 28-21 victory in championship game.

Daylon McCutcheon did nothing to dispel the notion that he is one of the nation’s finest high school football players Saturday night.

Before 26,295 at Anaheim Stadium, the La Puente Bishop Amat High senior showed skills and speed not often seen on this level.

But it was not enough.

Showing strength and balance on both sides of the ball, Santa Ana Mater Dei beat Bishop Amat’s one-dimensional attack, 28-21, to claim the Southern Section Division I crown.

Top-seeded Bishop Amat was considered the favorite because of McCutcheon. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound running back averaged 175 yards a game this season against one the area’s toughest schedules.

He finished the season with 28 offensive touchdowns, two as a defensive back and two on special teams.

On his second carry of the game, he broke loose for an 84-yard touchdown run that tied the score, 7-7.

Although there would be other impressive runs, including a 37-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, Mater Dei took control of the game in the second quarter and made Bishop Amat try its seldom-used passing game.

“They’re just a good football team,” said McCutcheon, who finished with 185 yards and two touchdowns rushing. “I’m the leader of this team. I take this loss upon myself. I guess I didn’t do what I had to do.”

The title is the second for Mater Dei in the last four years. The Monarchs defeated Rialto Eisenhower, 35-14, in 1991, but were embarrassed by the same team in last year’s championship, 56-3.

This year’s Mater Dei team was balanced and deep. Second-year starting quarterback John Flynn got the Monarchs going in the second quarter with a 56-yard touchdown pass play to running back Steve Bodnar.

Flynn threw his second touchdown pass in third quarter, a 23-yard connection with Rod Perry that gave the Monarchs a 21-10 lead. Although the pass was intended for teammate Peter Campbell, Perry was in the back of the end zone to make the catch.

It was that kind of a night for Mater Dei, which seemed to get all the right bounces. The Monarchs controlled the ball for nine minutes more than Bishop Amat (13-1).

A Mater Dei punt in the third quarter, for example, bounded off the head of the Lancers’ Ralph Brown and the Monarchs recovered at Bishop Amat’s 16-yard line. Four plays later, Bodnar scored on a one-yard run to apparently put the game out of reach, 28-10.

Bishop Amat continued to try its passing game, but quarterback James Free never got on track.

On the game’s final play, with Mater Dei leading, 28-21, Free’s desperation pass was intercepted by Campbell.

“I knew they were going to go to Daylon on that play,” Campbell said. “He’s 90% of their offense. I was reading him until I got my hand on him, and then I turned and looked for the ball.”

At the end, the Monarchs were ready to celebrate.

“We played great defense and played great football,” Mater Dei Coach Bruce Rollinson said. “We’re 14-0 baby. It was just like a New York street fight.”