Grootegoed Devastates Alemany

Mater Dei’s Matt Grootegoed does just about everything but carry the water bottles and tape his teammates’ ankles.

“We’ve had some great players, and Matt Grootegoed could go down in history as one of the greatest,” Monarch Coach Bruce Rollinson said.

There won’t be any arguments from Mission Hills Alemany, which knew what Grootegoed was capable of doing but felt helpless nonetheless Friday night in a Southern Section Division I second-round game at Alemany.

Grootegoed, last season’s Division I player of the year, ran for three touchdowns and returned an interception 68 yards for another to help Mater Dei (10-2) come away with a 45-14 victory.

It’s pretty easy to understand why the coaches at USC, UCLA, Washington and Stanford would be doing cartwheels if the 6-foot-1, 205-pound senior selected one of them as his college choice.

“The guy is going to play on Sundays someday,” Alemany assistant coach Scott Marshall said.

It was Grootegoed’s interception with 1:40 left before halftime that left Alemany (8-4) feeling devastated. The Indians trailed, 17-7, but were driving on the Mater Dei 31. Quarterback Casey Clausen tried to connect with running back De’Andre Scott, who lined up wide, on a quick slant pattern.

Grootegoed, who was called for pass interference on the same play on Alemany’s opening offensive possession, wasn’t fooled this time. He took the inside angle on Scott, intercepted the pass and raced 68 yards for a touchdown, giving the Monarchs a 24-7 halftime lead.

“That was an unbelievable play,” Alemany Coach Jim Bonds said. “Casey put speed on that throw. He just stepped in. He’s going to be playing for a long time.”

Mater Dei’s strategy was to put its two best defensive backs--Grootegoed and Junior Palacios--on Alemany’s Scott and Derek Goodman, the Indians’ most dangerous offensive threats. Goodman caught a 59-yard touchdown pass and Scott scored on a 74-yard reception, but most of the night, they were either covered or marked players.

Aiding the secondary was a furious pass rush. Linebacker Brown Faavae was in on three sacks and forced Clausen to fumble with a vicious hit in the first quarter.

Palacios led a balanced offense, rushing for 173 yards in 19 carries. Quarterback Matt Leinert completed eight of 11 passes for 159 yards.

The Monarchs, seeking their fifth Division I title this decade, play Rialto Eisenhower next Saturday in the semifinals.