SANTA ANA – The old saying that practice makes perfect is a good way to describe the way things are going for the Bruce Rollinson and his Mater Dei football team.
For the fourth consecutive game this season, the Monarchs overwhelmed their opposition, scoring at will and forcing a running clock in the second half.
Bishop Amat of La Puente, Mayfair of Lakewood, La Mirada have all been on the receiving end of Mater Dei domination.
Friday night, it was Upland.
Mater Dei scored on its first seven possessions of the game and ended with a 62-7 home victory at Santa Ana Stadium.
“The biggest thing I’m seeing right now that we’re promoting is that we’re practicing well,” Mater Dei coach Bruce Rollinson said. “We don’t think about whatever the papers are writing, we only think about improving on a daily basis and then we say, OK, it’s Friday night, let’s go play.
“They know it is going to get a lot tougher as the season goes on, but that’s how we’re approaching it. Next step is we have to get ready for Dave (White) and the (Edison) Chargers.”
JT Daniels turned in another short, yet highly productive night under center. The sophomore quarterback completed 19 of 24 passes for 370 yards and six touchdowns, all in the first half as Mater Dei (4-0) built a 56-0 lead over Upland (2-2) at halftime.
He didn’t play a down in the second half.
Daniels now has 23 touchdown passes, already good enough for ninth on the all-time single-season list for the Monarchs. He passed for 33 last year, the third highest total for the Monarchs and has the all-time record of 36 set by Billy Blanton in 1991 within his range and the team has yet to make it to the bye week.
He has thrown only one interception this season and just four last year.
Amon-Ra and Osiris St. Brown had two touchdown receptions apiece. Bru McCoy and CJ Parks had one apiece.
“A big of part of that is our new receivers coach, Chester Coleman, and he’s brought a really good culture to the receivers,” Daniels said. “It is just a group effort by us. Everyone wants to see everyone else do better. You see CJ (Parks) catch a little screen and then Bru, Amon, Nikko, everybody come running behind to block for him. That’s just how we play.
“It is noticeable what Chester has done with these guys and to see how much these guys want their other receivers to excel and exceed …it is definitely noticeable.”
Osiris St. Brown had four receptions for 168 yards and Amon-Ra St. Brown had four for 75 yards.
This was third time this season and fourth in his short career that Daniels has thrown at least six touchdown passes.
“Whether it is Osiris or Amon-Ra, they start making catches and then the next kid …the thing is we’re making incredible catches,” Rollinson said. “I just hope the magic continues.”
Contact the writer: dcalhoun@scng.com
