SANTA ANA – Mater Dei made a magical comeback last week to beat Serra of Gardena.
The Monarchs couldn’t quite duplicate that Friday.
They lost to Centennial of Corona, 42-36, in a CIF-Southern Section Pac-5 Division semifinal at Santa Ana Stadium.
Mater Dei was trailing by 26 points late in the third quarter. The Monarchs scored three touchdowns to get back into contention, but they just ran out of time against the defending Pac-5 Division champion Huskies.
Mater Dei finished 10-3. The Monarchs were trying to get back to a CIF-SS final, which has been a frequent destination for Mater Dei over the past 50 years and especially lately; Mater Dei played in Pac-5 championship games in 2012 and 13.
Centennial has a rematch in the Pac-5 final that will be played at Angel Stadium on Saturday at 8 p.m. The Huskies will play St. John Bosco, which they defeated in last year’s Pac-5 championship game. Centennial takes a 13-0 record into the game.
Mater Dei’s rally started in the final seconds of the third quarter when freshman quarterback JT Daniels connected with Andre Collins on an 80-yard touchdown pass play to make it 42-23. After an Xavier Bell interception, Daniels threw to Christopher Parks for a 6-yard touchdown pass; the pass attempt for two points was incomplete, leaving the score 42-29.
Brandon LaMarche scored on a 1-yard run to trim the Centennial lead to 42-36 with 1:38 remaining. An onside kick was grabbed and secured by Centennial’s JJ Taylor, who had his hands on the ball often Friday. He rushed for 220 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries.
Mater Dei played Centennial twice in 2014. The Monarchs beat the Huskies in the season opener, 38-18, and lost to them, 27-24, in the second round of the Pac-5 playoffs.
Daniels completed 20 of 40 passes for 371 yards and three touchdowns. Andre Collins had five catches for 153 yards and a touchdown for Mater Dei. Osiris St. Brown had 7 catches for 123 yards and a touchdown.
Centennial quarterback Anthony Catalano threw for 294 yards and three touchdowns.
It looked good for Mater Dei in the early going. Centennial took the opening kickoff and managed only three plays before punting. Mater Dei’s ensuing possession produced a 26-yard field goal by Chase McGrath and a 3-0 lead.
Centennial looked like it suited up a different group of players on its second possession. The Huskies drove 80 yards on 10 plays with Catalano scoring on a 13-yard burst up the middle for a 7-3 Centennial lead midway through the quarter.
The Monarchs quickly regained the lead. Mater Dei freshman quarterback JT Daniels connected with Osiris St. Brown on an 18-yard touchdown pass to put the Monarchs on top, 10-7, with 2:02 to go in the first quarter.
That lead did not last long. Catalano and receiver Cameron Jackson collaborated on a 31-yard touchdown pass to give Centennial a 14-10 lead. The Huskies would remain ahead the rest of the game.
Catalano passed to Javon McKinley for a 41-yard touchdown play to increase Centennial’s lead to 21-10.
Mater Dei responded with a 22-yard field goal by McGrath to cut the Huskies’ lead to 21-13. Centennial came right back to score a touchdown on a 10-yard run by Catalano for a 28-13 lead.
McGrath kicked a 45-yard field goal as the second quarter ended to make it 28-16.
Mater Dei took the second half-starting kickoff and did something the Monarchs rarely do – tried a fake punt. It did not work. Centennial took over at the Mater Dei 47 and a few players later Taylor scored on a 5-yard run for a 35-16 lead.
A 41-yard touchdown pass from Catalano to Spencer increased the lead to 42-36.
Contact the writer: sfryer@ocregister.com
