No. 1 Mater Dei (6-1, 0-0) vs. No. 7 Servite (6-1, 0-0)

By BEN BOLCH

Oct. 28, 2000 12 AM PT

7:30 TONIGHT CAL STATE FULLERTON

Servite has a chance to win its first game from the Monarchs since 1988 if the Friars can contain quarterback Matt Leinart, who is averaging 237 passing yards a game. Mater Dei, with a suspect running game for the first time in years, has depended on its senior quarterback to carry the load, and he has done so with aplomb. Servite will bring a more balanced offensive attack with dependable quarterback Adam Ernst and explosive running back Lamar Mason. The Friars shouldn’t have trouble scoring points, but whether they can shut down Leinart is another matter.

KEY PLAYERS

Mater Dei

QB Matt Leinart

63%, 1,663 yds., 13 TDs

WR Jeff Diulio

44 rec., 725 yds., 5 TDs

RB Darius Williams

83 yds., 397 yds., 2 TDs

Servite

QB Adam Ernst

50%, 839 yds., 4 TDs

RB Lamar Mason

1,035 yds., 7 TDs

WR LaShawn George

8 rec., 204 yds.

High School Sports

Ben Bolch

Ben Bolch has been a Los Angeles Times staff writer since 1999. He is serving his second stint as the UCLA beat writer, which seems fitting since he has covered almost every sports beat except hockey and horse racing. Bolch is also the author of the recently released book “100 Things UCLA Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die.” He previously covered UCLA basketball from 2010-11 before going on to cover the NBA and the Clippers for five years. He happily traded in gobs of hotel points and airline miles to return to cover UCLA basketball and football in the summer of 2016. Bolch was once selected by NBA TV’s “The Starters” as the “Worst of the Week” after questioning their celebrity journalism-style questions at an NBA All-Star game and considers it one of his finer moments.

No. 1 Mater Dei (6-1, 0-0) vs. No. 7 Servite (6-1, 0-0)

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