The nation’s No. 1 high school football team, Mater Dei, returned to their home turf at the Santa Ana Bowl to take on the No. 2 ranked team in Hawaii in a much-anticipated matchup. Last season, Mater Dei dominated the same opponent with a decisive 38-7 win on the road in Hawaii. This time around, the game proved far more competitive.

At halftime, Mater Dei held a narrow 8-7 lead, with their only first-half score coming from a touchdown pass by quarterback Ryan Hopkins to Georgia commit Gavin Honore. The Monarchs converted the two-point attempt with a run by USC commit Shaun Scott, accounting for all eight points. The low score marked an uncharacteristically slow start for Mater Dei’s typically explosive offense.

In the second half, running back Malachi Robinson found the end zone to extend the lead and help seal the win for the Monarchs in a hard-fought, defensive battle.

Next up, Mater Dei hits the road to face Centennial, the No. 6 team in California, in what’s expected to be a marquee matchup