### Mater Dei Wins CIF Southern Section Division 1 Championship

In a thrilling showdown, No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) secured a 31-24 victory over No. 7 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) to clinch their second consecutive CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship. This was a rare close game for the top-ranked Monarchs, who were challenged until the final quarter for the first time this season.

Jordon Davison, headed to Oregon, was a standout for Mater Dei, carrying the ball 29 times for a season-high 196 yards and three touchdowns. His first score put the Monarchs ahead 11-0 in the second quarter. St. John Bosco's freshman quarterback Koa Malau'ulu responded by connecting with Madden Williams, trimming the lead to 11-7 with 3:57 left in the first half. Malau'ulu finished the game with a season-high 297 passing yards and two touchdowns.

Davison's second touchdown extended Mater Dei’s lead to 17-7, but St. John Bosco answered rapidly as Malau'ulu found freshman Darren Tubbs for a 53-yard touchdown, bringing the score to 17-14 just before halftime. Mater Dei increased their advantage to 24-14 in the third quarter, thanks to another Davison touchdown of 15 yards. However, a 2-yard score by Maliq Allen, set up by an 89-yard reception by Carson Clark, closed the gap to 24-21.

In the fourth quarter, Washington-bound quarterback Dash Beierly connected with Marcus Harris, a 2025 Oklahoma commit, for a 7-yard touchdown, extending the lead to 31-21. CJ Wallace's 48-yard field goal narrowed the deficit to 31-24 with just over two minutes remaining. Daryus Dixson recovered the onside kick attempt by St. John Bosco, and a crucial 26-yard run by Davison helped Mater Dei run out the clock to seal their win.

In Texas, No. 6 North Shore (Houston) continued their unbeaten streak, improving to 13-0 with a decisive 42-28 win over Katy. Senior quarterback Kaleb Bailey was exceptional, throwing for 274 yards and five touchdowns. The Mustangs advance to the 6A Division 1 quarterfinals for the 10th consecutive year and will face No. 20 Atascocita (Humble, Texas), who secured a 47-42 victory over Fulshear thanks to five rushing touchdowns by Oklahoma-bound running back Tory Blaylock.

Milton (Ga.), ranked No. 2, showcased their dominance with a 56-14 triumph over Houston County (Warner Robins, Ga.), marking their 23rd consecutive win. They will face No. 25 Lee County (Leesburg, Ga.) in the 5A semifinals on December 6.

No. 5 Carrollton (Ga.) advanced to the 6A semifinals with a 46-6 win over Hillgrove (Powder Springs, Ga.), despite losing Colorado-bound quarterback Julian Lewis to injury in the first half. They will meet No. 11 Buford (Ga.), who handed North Gwinnett their first loss of the season, 43-7.

Additional highlights include No. 12 Lakeland (Fla.) edging out Tampa Bay Tech (Tampa, Fla.) 24-21, and No. 21 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) clinching their fourth consecutive Non-Public A championship with a 25-7 win over Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.). No. 4 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) continued their dominance with a 69-7 win in the Class 5A Division I state championship, securing their 15th state title since 2007.

This weekend, No. 3 Duncanville, No. 9 North Crowley, and No. 24 DeSoto will take the field in crucial matchups, with Duncanville meeting The Woodlands, North Crowley competing against Coppell, and DeSoto facing an undefeated Willis squad.