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![Mater Dei’s Alexander Arevalo gets by a tackle from Bishop Amat’s Dominic Barrera. Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat High in La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
Mater Dei’s Alexander Arevalo gets by a tackle from Bishop Amat’s Dominic Barrera. Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat High in La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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![Mater Dei’s JT Daniels throws his first touchdown of the season in the first quarter.Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat Highin La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
Mater Dei’s JT Daniels throws his first touchdown of the season in the first quarter.Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat Highin La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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![Bishop Amat’s Blake Archuleta slips by a tackle by Mater Dei’s Bru McCoy III. Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat High in La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
Bishop Amat’s Blake Archuleta slips by a tackle by Mater Dei’s Bru McCoy III. Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat High in La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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![Mater Dei’s Bru McCoy was just inches short of a touchdown in the first halfMater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat Highin La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
Mater Dei’s Bru McCoy was just inches short of a touchdown in the first halfMater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat Highin La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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![Mater Dei quarterback JT Daniels takes off on a 35-yard touchdown run during Friday’s game.Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat Highin La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
Mater Dei quarterback JT Daniels takes off on a 35-yard touchdown run during Friday’s game.Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat Highin La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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![Bishop Amat’s Jaden Allen pushes forward for extra yardage. Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat High in La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
Bishop Amat’s Jaden Allen pushes forward for extra yardage. Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat High in La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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![Mater Dei’s Christopher Street leaps past Bishop Amat’s Dominic Barrera in the first half. Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat High in La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
Mater Dei’s Christopher Street leaps past Bishop Amat’s Dominic Barrera in the first half. Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat High in La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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![Mater Dei’s Noah Guzman grabs the arm of mater Dei’s Darion Green. Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat High in La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
Mater Dei’s Noah Guzman grabs the arm of mater Dei’s Darion Green. Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat High in La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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![Bishop Amat’s Isaiah Samano loses his helmet during a tackle against Mater Dei. Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat High in La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
Bishop Amat’s Isaiah Samano loses his helmet during a tackle against Mater Dei. Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat High in La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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![Mater Dei’s Darion Green goes for extra yardage. Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat High in La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
Mater Dei’s Darion Green goes for extra yardage. Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat High in La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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![Mater Dei quarterback JT Daniels takes off on a 35-yard touchdown run during Friday’s game.Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat Highin La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
Mater Dei quarterback JT Daniels takes off on a 35-yard touchdown run during Friday’s game.Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat Highin La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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![The Mater Dei cheerleaders welcome the Monarchs to the field at the start of the game. Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat High in La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
The Mater Dei cheerleaders welcome the Monarchs to the field at the start of the game. Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat High in La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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![Dario Hurtadoo is less than happy sitting in the lap of his mother Yesinia in the Mater Dei cheering section. Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat High in La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
Dario Hurtadoo is less than happy sitting in the lap of his mother Yesinia in the Mater Dei cheering section. Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat High in La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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![Mater Dei quarterback JT Daniels is brought down by Bishop Amat’s David Montanez and Seth Cloud in the fist half.Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat Highin La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
Mater Dei quarterback JT Daniels is brought down by Bishop Amat’s David Montanez and Seth Cloud in the fist half.Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat Highin La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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![Mater Dei’s Glenn Harper slips by Bishop Amat’s Seth Cloud during the first quarter. Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat High in La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
Mater Dei’s Glenn Harper slips by Bishop Amat’s Seth Cloud during the first quarter. Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat High in La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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![Bishop Amat fans toss colored chalk dust into the air and shout “I believe that we will win.” Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat High in La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)]()
Bishop Amat fans toss colored chalk dust into the air and shout “I believe that we will win.” Mater Dei was taking on Bishop Amat in the season-opening game for both teams at Bishop Amat High in La Puente, CA on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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By RICHARD HERNANDEZ
Correspondent
LA PUENTE – Early in the week, Mater Dei coach Bruce Rollinson warned the team’s boosters that looking ahead to next week’s highly anticipated showdown with national power Bishop Gorman could be a dangerous thing since the Monarchs had to face a dangerous team – Bishop Amat – before then.
The Monarchs responded to that message, putting together a dominant defensive performance en route to a 31-7 win over the Lancers on Friday night.
Playing without Amon-Ra St. Brown and C.J. Parks, two of the best receivers in Southern California, the Mater Dei offense focused on chewing up time of possession and yards on the ground.
“I thought we played great defense tonight,” said Rollinson. “We needed to get physical, it’s going to help with our preparation. We had a lot of young kids that played well, so I’m pleased with that.”
The undersized Lancers defense did well to hold Mater Dei to 179 yards rushing on 38 attempts, but bad field position and two long second half drives broke the game open.
Mater Dei led at the half, 17-0, and then opened the third quarter with a 12-play 65-yard drive that lasted just under seven minutes and culminated with a 4-yard touchdown run by Christopher Street.
On the ensuing possession, Amat drove into Monarchs’ territory for the first time but the drive stalled when Blake Archuleta’s pass was intercepted by senior Stephon Robbins near the goal line.
Once again, Mater Dei went back to the ground, rushing 11 times over a 14-play drive that lasted 7:30. Junior quarterback JT Daniels put the game out of reach with his feet, making a nice move in the open field on a 24-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 31-0 with 8:30 left in the game.
Daniels completed 11 of 17 passes for 144 yards and a touchdown.
“We felt in our evaluation of the offense that we needed to run the ball a little more,” said Rollinson. “We’ll mix it up and do whatever we need to do to win and tonight that was keep it close and pound the rock.”
Mater Dei’s defense was dominant, sacking Archuleta seven times to go along with two interceptions and a fumble recovery while allowing only 107 yards of total offense to the Lancers.
“Everytime I come up to Kiefer Stadium I have some great memories,” said Rollnson. “That team (Bishop Amat) is going to be a good football team. They are playing with some young players, but they will become a force.”