Perfect End to the Season for Mater Dei

Color Division I football red and white--again.

Mater Dei claimed its second Southern Section title in three years and capped off an unbeaten season with a hard-fought 17-10 victory over Los Angeles Loyola in front of 11,842 Saturday at the Coliseum.

The Monarchs (14-0), top ranked in Orange County and ranked second in the last USA Today national poll, had just a bit more offensive talent than the Cubs (12-2), who were making their second consecutive appearance in the finals. It was the fourth final in the 1990s for both teams.

“We did it with big plays in the first half and defense in the second half,” said an exuberant Coach Bruce Rollinson, who won his third title in his eight years. “Give a lot of credit to Loyola, they gave us all we could handle.”

That did little to soothe Loyola’s pain.

“I think the only other thing we could have done against them is score more points,” said tight end Antoine Harris, who caught a pass for his team’s only touchdown.

On the Monarchs’ sideline, there was only jubilation.

“I’ve waited four years for this moment,” said running back James Farley, who led all rushers with 88 yards. “It feels so good, I can’t even describe it.”

Quarterback Nick Stremick, who passed for 136 yards and a touchdown, called the victory and season unbelievable. “I had told the team in the first game [against Santa Ana Valley] how we wanted to feel after 14 games. And we did it.”

Mater Dei caused the game’s first break, recovering a Ray Kasper fumble in the first quarter at its 38. But the resulting drive stalled on the Loyola 25, and Matt Grootegoed’s 43-yard field-goal attempt was short.

Loyola’s offense got going in the second quarter. Starting at their 20, the Cubs created some running space for backs Wesley Willard and Stephen Faulk, who finished with 59 and 49 yards respectively. Kasper, who threw for 72 yards, completed passes of 20 and 10 yards to John Hilvert. After 13 plays got the Cubs to the Monarchs six, Mike MacGillivray booted a 24-yard field goal to give Loyola a 3-0 lead.

The Monarchs responded immediately. Four snaps took them from their 20 to the Loyola 47. Then the Stremick-Rod Perry Jr. connection struck and struck big.

With the Loyola in man-to-man coverage--the same coverage Perry has destroyed in the postseason--the senior wide receiver streaked down the right sideline as Stremick lofted the ball. Perry adjusted to the short pass but defender Hilvert did not. Perry leaped and captured the ball at the 11, whirled around Hilvert and scampered into the end zone for his ninth touchdown in the past four games.

“Most of the game, when Dave [Castleton] and I ran on the inside they did double team us,” said Perry, who caught six passes for 82 yards. “When we went outside it was man. Nick and I saw it, and we knew we had a shot. It’s been nothing but pluses when we got that.”

But the biggest play of the half was still coming.

Loyola still had 1:20 left to try something. The Cubs pushed to the Mater Dei 47. With 17 seconds to play, Kasper drifted back to pass, but was hit by Kevin Mitchell. Linebacker Brian Manibusan, the Monarchs’ leading tackler who did not have an interception this season, got the ball at the Monarchs 42, and did not stop until he scored 58 yards later.

A 36-yard kickoff return put Loyola at its 49. Ten plays later, a 14-yard touchdown pass from Kasper to Antoine Harris got them back in the game, 14-10.

Mater Dei answered with a 35-yard field goal by Castleton.

Neither team scored in the fourth quarter, but the Monarchs ran 12 plays in the middle of the quarter. When Loyola got the ball back on its 11, there was only 2:56 left. The Cubs ran three plays, were stopped and punted with 1:11 remaining. They never got the ball back.