Irvine Gives Mater Dei a Fight but Falls, 28-0

Because he was lacking his one viable offensive weapon, Irvine football Coach Terry Henigan likened Friday’s game against top-ranked Mater Dei to “Goliath vs. David’s little brother.”

But if Henigan’s team wasn’t packing a sling and stones, it was at least packing a straw and spitwads.

The undermanned Vaqueros were overmatched, but still pestered Mater Dei in the Monarchs’ 28-0 victory in front of about 4,000 at Irvine High.

What kind of night was it?

Irvine (2-2) blocked two field-goal attempts and, despite being outgained on the night, 480-105, trailed by only 14 points with less than six minutes remaining.

Mater Dei (4-0), ranked second nationally, won its 18th consecutive game. Coach Bruce Rollinson said he could care less about the close score and, after challenging his offense in practice, was pleased with its performance.

“We’ve now established a pretty darn good rivalry,” he said.

Rollinson also made a concession to Irvine’s gritty play: “Their linebackers were tough. We had to earn all of our yards.”

Mike McNair, the county’s fifth-leading rusher, had only five gains greater than his 7.7 yards-per-carry average, and runs of 42 and 35 (for a touchdown with 5:10 left in the game) made up the bulk of his 23-carry, 181-yard night.

Irvine’s toughness was exemplified on the game’s first drive. Though Mater Dei completed passes of 12, 17 and 17 yards, it still took 12 plays to go 59 yards before Kevin Mitchell scored from one yard. Matt Grootegoed added the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

The Vaquero defense was anchored by 5-foot-8, 170-pound linebacker Darren Mathews--one of 10 juniors playing defense at a time.

Mater Dei had outgained Irvine at halftime, 231-41. The bulk of the remaining yardage came on pass plays of 46 and 49 yards, the former an inside screen to Joey Boese on the second drive for a 14-0 lead.

Boese had six catches for 111 yards. Quarterback John Leonard, 10 of 12 for 191 yards at halftime, finished 13 of 19 for 249 yards and one touchdown.

Kevin deFries scored from 41 yards with 1:52 remaining.

True to Henigan’s weeklong plea at practices, the Irvine defense matched Mater Dei’s physical nature of play. It simply didn’t match up athletically.

Irvine again played without running back Al Williams (knee), the one player who had a chance to outrun Mater Dei’s defense. Still, Irvine’s Sam Paik and Adrian Guillen were outrushed by Mitchell and McNair by only eight yards at halftime, 54 yards to 46. Paik finished with 52 yards in 17 carries and Guillen 17 in 10.

Henigan said Williams probably won’t return until the final three games of the regular season.