Sierra Canyon loses to Mater Dei 42-14
By Jacob h. Pollon
The Sierra Canyon football team’s first ever Division 1 semifinal appearance didn’t go well Friday night at Santa Ana Bowl.
The Trailblazers fumbled on its opening possession and Mater Dei never looked back in an easy 42-14 victory.
The win puts Mater Dei in the top division championship game for the seventh consecutive year where it will face powerhouse program and Trinity League rival St. John Bosco.
The game will be Friday at 7:30 p.m. at LA Memorial Coliseum.
Stanford-bound quarterback Elijah Brown completed 13 of 20 passes for 199 yards, including two touchdowns. Brown threw one interception.
Jeilani Davis forced a fumble, Chuck McDonald returned it to the two-yard line and Ajon Bryant scored two plays later. That was effectively it.
Bryant’s 55-yard touchdown run a short time later made it 14-0 and it felt a lot worse.
Dane Dunn scored on a 6-yard touchdown run in the second quarter but the Monarchs (11-1) responded with a Jordan Davison rushing touchdown and a 14-yard Brown to Marcus Harris touchdown pass.
It was 42-7 at the end of the third quarter and a running clock was used for the final 12 minutes.
Bryant finished with 106 yards on 9 carries and two scores.
Wyatt Becker was 18 of 39 for 196 yards, including a 27-yard touchdown to Jae’on Young. young also had an interception.
Dunn finished with 88 yards on 16 carries.
Sierra Canyon was hampered not having 6-foot-8, 360-pound tackle Ashdon Wnetrazk and freshman phenom Jaxen Stokes.
Mater Dei lost to St. John Bosco, 28-0, during league play.
Mater Dei is 4-2 against SJB in finals.