Mater Dei falls short against Long Beach Poly

HUNTINGTON BEACH Mater Dei and Long Beach Poly clashed Saturday in the finals of another major passing tournament.

And just like last month, the Monarchs stayed close but the Jackrabbits emerged with the title.

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OCVarsity Hot Shots: Edison, Mission Viejo passing tourneys

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Mater Dei failed to convert a 2-point conversion on the final play as Long Beach Poly captured its first Edison tournament title with a 20-19 victory at Edison.

The Monarchs drew within one point after a short touchdown pass from junior-to-be quarterback Ryan McMahon to sophomore-to-be wide receiver Joey Yglesias. Junior-to-be wide receiver Jameson Field set up the score with a spectacular, twisting catch down the middle of the field.

Mater Dei went for the 2-point conversion and the victory but a Long Beach Poly defender knocked away a pass in the corner of the end zone intended for Field.

“The kids just said, ‘Coach, there’s no decision, we’re going for two,’ and I loved it,” Mater Dei football coach Bruce Rollinson said. “That says something about their character and it says something about their confidence in each other.”

Mater Dei pushed Long Beach Poly to the finish despite playing without rising junior-to-be wide Thomas Duarte, who left the semifinals with cramps.

And the Monarchs applied the pressure with their mix of young players and a few seniors-to-be.

“At the end of the day, no one remembers what happened in July,” Rollinson said. “But for right now, (there is) the momentum, the confidence, our defense is getting better and better – and we’re playing with a lot of young kids – and they’re really doing a good job.”

McMahon, a first-year starter replacing Max Wittek, tossed three touchdowns against the Jackrabbits, who defeated Mater Dei, 21-14, in the finals of the Air Strike tournament last month at Dana Hills.

Mater Dei sophomore-to-be wide receiver/cornerback Jonathan Lockett also made several big plays Saturday, including out-jumping 6-foot-3 Long Beach Poly wide out and Arizona State commit Josiah Blandin for an interception in the final.

Lockett is 5-foot-10 and 150 pounds.

In the semifinals, he caught the winning touchdown and extra point and later a key deflection on defense in a 13-12 victory against Edison.

“They all played well today,” Rollinson said. “Lockett is going to be a very, very good football player. Jameson Field played on both sides of the ball and had a great afternoon. I thought McMahon threw well. I thought Josh Cook (played well). It was a total team effort.

“I expect young players to make plays. Lockett did step up but so did a lot of other kids, and that’s what I like about this team. We’ve got some depth at the skill positions. And fortunately, we’ve got some big horses back at the stable. It’s going to be fun.”

In the quarterfinals, Mater Dei defeated Los Alamitos, 27-23.

EDISON'S IMPRESSIVE COMBO

Edison’s pass-catch combination of Chase Favreau and Sedric Hill had its moments against Mater Dei in the semifinals.

Favreau threw two touchdown passes to Hill in a 13-12 loss against the Monarchs.

The left-handed Favreau returned earlier this week from a broken bone in his hand but had a solid day spinning the ball.

“He did well,” Edison coach Dave White said of Favreau, who missed the Air Strike passing tournament last month because of the injury.

Hill, a transfer from Mater Dei like Favreau, scored on a slant route and then on a nice catch in the back of the end zone. He also showed excellent hands in catching a hard pass on an out pattern.

“I think he was probably the best player on our team today,” White said of Hill.

And one of the best individual matches up of the afternoon was Hill at receiver against Lockett at cornerback.

Hill also played cornerback while Favreau saw action at safety.

TRITONS BOUNCE BACK

San Clemente defeated JSerra, 25-18, in the consolation final. The Tritons went 0-4 last month at the Air Strike tournament but won four consecutive games Saturday. San Clemente beat La Habra, Tesoro, Foothill and JSerra.

"I was real proud of them," San Clemente coach Eric Patton said of his team. "We're making progress. ... We got cold-cocked at Air Strike."

Patton said Elite 11 bound quarterback Travis Wilson had "very good day" but also was high on senior-to-be wide receiver Jake Elston, senior-to-be linebacker/running back Herbert Gamboa and senior-to-be wide receiver/corner Christian Tober.

LONG BEACH POLY FLYING HIGH

The Jackrabbits have now captured three passing tournaments this summer. They have claimed the Air Strike, Edison and Saugus tournaments to emerge as the unofficial boys of summer for 2011.

The Jackrabbits made several excellent plays against Mater Dei but one of the best catches came from Demauria Stewart. The junior-to-be made a diving catch in the end zone to give Long Beach Poly its second score.

Long Beach Poly actually lost once Saturday. The Jackrabbits fell to Tesoro in pool play.

JSERRA's WILLIAMS HIGH ON PAC-12

JSerra senior-to-be defensive back/wide receiver Jonavaughn Williams (6-0, 195) said he is "looking Pac-12 definitely." Williams has offers from Washington, Colorado, Oregon State and Arizona State and is talking with USC and UCLA.

Williams and JSerra quarterback Jake Hall recently worked out at the Oregon and Oregon State.