Football: Tempo offenses have changed high school football

Saturday’s Open Division regional football game between St. John Bosco and Corona Centennial produced 119 points, more than 1,300 yards in total offense and Centennial ran off 122 plays in a 70-49 loss to the Braves.

This isn’t your father’s offense and the grandfathers would be rolling their eyes if they saw what’s been happening.

“We knew it was going to go that way,” St. John Bosco Coach Jason Negro said. “When you have that many plays that a high school kid has to play . . . that’s incredible. It’s hard to be able to do that. It’s tough to stop people.”

Spread, no-huddle offenses have changed the game. Some call it Arena Football. Games are as high scoring as a basketball contest. And the ability to score rapidly and often means there’s no end in sight and no safe leads.

Centennial looked ready to be routed at Cerritos College, down, 14-0, and by halftime, it was 21-21. Then St. John Bosco scored four consecutive touchdowns in the third quarter. Game over, right? No, Centennial comes back again.

The player of the game was sophomore running back Sean Mcgrew, who rushed for 367 yards and six touchdowns and caught a 76-yard screeen pass for a seventh touchdown.

“Honestly, I don’t know how I ever did that,” the humble Mcgrew said.

He went through gaping holes and used his superior speed.

“All he needs is a little seam and he can pop it,” Coach Jason Negro said.

Next up for St. John Bosco is Saturday’s 8 p.m. Open Division final against De La Salle at StubHub Center. De La Salle is 14-0. St. John Bosco is 15-0.

“We’re happy and want to represent Southern California the right way,” Negro said.

Eric.sondheimer@latimes.com