Mater Dei needs inexperienced receivers to catch on

SANTA ANA- If the sandy beaches were calling out to Mater Dei's receivers late in the summer, the players probably were busy on the other line.

"We'd call Matt up," junior wide out Derek Campbell said the other day.

Matt Barkley, the Monarchs' seemingly all-everything quarterback, took the calls and hit the road.

Three times a week during Mater Dei's three-week summer dead period, the receivers and Barkley practiced on their own. The sessions lasted "pretty much until Matt's arm got sore," Campbell said.

So far, the extra work has paid off for Mater Dei's new-look receiving corp. A bigger challenge, however, looms Friday night.

Mater Dei (2-0), ranked first in Orange County and third in the state, plays host to California's No. 4 team, Centennial of Corona (1-0), at Santa Ana Stadium at 7:30.

"The verdict is still out with me," Mater Dei football coach Bruce Rollinson said of the group. "They were pretty proficient against Carson. They got better (against Cypress).

"They're going to have to take it some unknown level to have success against (Centennial). … It's going to get real physical on them."

Rollinson has seen plenty of growth from his wideouts.

None of Mater Dei's top five receivers - Victor Blackwell, Campbell, Christian Maldonado, Andrew Roth or Ario Winston - were main offensive weapons last season.

While Barkley passed for an Orange County-record 3,560 yards, Winston was known as return man on special teams.

Blackwell was on the sophomore team.

Maldonado was used mostly as a starting cornerback.

Campbell and Roth also weren't in the picture.

Barkley's favorite targets of '07 were three seniors. There was his cousin, Robbie Boyer, Andrew Abbott and Carlo Valdes, his former youth football teammate. The trio combined for 143 receptions and hauled in 27 of Barkley's 35 touchdowns.

"They set a big standard," Blackwell said.

When it came to preparing for this season, Rollinson said Barkley was briefed about starting over with new receivers.

"We just said (to him), 'Look, you're going to have to coach them and they are going to frustrate you because none of them have playing experience,'" Rollinson said. "We just said be patient."

As Rollinson predicted, the growing pains arrived. At first, the receivers struggled to hold on to Barkley's powerful throws. At the Edison passing tournament July 12, Mater Dei finished with Centennial in the consolation bracket.

But the group, Rollinson said, made a leap during a national passing tournament in Oregon later in July.

With Barkley putting extra zip on the ball to account for the speed of the defenses, the receivers raised the level of their play and helped the Monarchs place third.

"When his (Barkley's) game went up, they went up with him," Rollinson said. "That's what I needed to see."

The group has carried the momentum through the first two games. Winston, a smooth 5-foot-11, 155-pound senior, leads the team with 10 receptions for 228 yards and four touchdowns.

Blackwell, a rising, 6-foot, 180-pound sophomore, has six receptions for 123 yards and two touchdowns. He also returned the opening kickoff against Carson 92 yards for a touchdown. Rollinson is clearly excited about Blackwell.

"He's going to be a special player," the coach said.

Together, Winston and Blackwell give Barkley an added deep threat compared to last season when Valdes was the lone speed burner.

"It's a whole different look for us," Rollinson said.

Campbell, the Monarchs' starting shortstop in baseball, has seven catches for 112 yards and two scores. Against Carson, he caught the winning touchdown pass in the third overtime of the Monarchs' 46-43 victory.

Maldonado's focus remains on defense, but the senior is viewed as an offensive sparkplug. When Mater Dei's multiple offense shifts to a five-wide formation, look for Roth.

Rollinson said Barkley has grown closer to the group. He also doesn't need to teach as much as he did.

"There's less teaching and more, 'All right. Good. That's where you gotta be,'" Rollinson said. "You can see it in their swagger when they're coming back to the huddle."Mater Dei hopes to see a lot of that swagger tonight.

Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com