Preview: No. 1 Mater Dei vs. No. 2 St. John Bosco

Mater Dei vs. St. John Bosco
gamestrat high school football sideline instant replay

The Southern California Showdown is here! Friday night, at Santa Ana Stadium, Mater Dei, No. 1 in the High School Football America 300, powered by NFL Play Football, hosts No. 2 St. John Bosco.

What’s on the line?

The winner will lock-up at least a share of the Trinity League title with two weeks to go in the regular season. The team that comes out of top will also have the inside track to another national championship.

Six of the last seven HSFA national championships have gone to these two schools. Mater Dei won national title in 2017, 2018, 2021 and 2023. SJB won the crowns in 2019 and 2022.

To quote baseball great Ernie Banks, these two like to play two.

Since 2016, Mater Dei and St. John Bosco have played twice in the same season, six times. And, it’s not always best to win the first one.

As you can see below, in 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023, the winner of the first game, lost the rematch.

Mater Dei vs. St. John Bosco Parts I & II

2023

Regular season – St. John Bosco 28, Mater Dei 0

Playoffs – Mater Dei 35, St. John Bosco 7

2022

Regular season – Mater Dei 17, St. John Bosco 7

Playoffs – St. John Bosco 24, Mater Dei 22

2019

Regular Season – Mater Dei 38, St. John Bosco 24

Playoffs – St. John Bosco 39, Mater Dei 34

2018

Regular Season – St. John Bosco 41, Mater Dei 18

Playoffs – Mater Dei 17, St. John Bosco 13

2017

Regular Season – Mater Dei 31, St. John Bosco 21

Playoffs – Mater Dei 49, St. John Bosco 24

2016

Regular Season – Mater Dei 26, St. John Bosco 21

Playoffs – St. John Bosco 42, Mater Dei 28

2013

Regular Season – St. John Bosco 24, Mater Dei 2

Playoffs – St. John Bosco 34, Mater Dei 7

You can see how each team arrived here during the first three weeks of Trinity League play below.

Trinity League Week 3 recap

Trinity League Week 2 recap

Trinity League Week 1 recap

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About the Author

Jeff Fisher
Jeff is an award-winning journalist and expert in the field of high school sports, underscored with his appearance on CNBC in 2010 to talk about the big business of high school football in America.Jeff turned to his passion for high school football into an entrepreneurial venture called High School Football America, a digital media company focused on producing original high school sports content for radio, television and the internet.Jeff is co-founder and editor-in-chief of High School Football America, a partner with NFL Play Football.