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Did Bishop Gorman Make Enough Of A Statement With Its Win Over Mater Dei?

Bishop Gorman got the win, but did it do enough to get back in the national title picture?
Aram Tolegian|
Bishop Gorman makes a statement against Mater Dei
Bishop Gorman makes a statement against Mater Dei | Jules Karney

Bishop Gorman revived its high school football national title hopes by handing Mater Dei its first loss this season. Relive all the action below, including analysis from one of the biggest games of the season.

FINAL: BISHOP GORMAN 25, MATER DEI 8

ANALYSIS: Was it enough? Did Bishop Gorman just get back in the national title picture with its workmanlike win over previously unbeaten Mater Dei?

The Gaels certainly displayed a championship-level defense and running game in their first-ever win over Mater Dei (1-5 lifetime). With their remaining games all against Nevada-based opponents, Bishop Gorman will leave the national spotlight for the time being. So, this win over Mater Dei will be the last thing the court of public opinion remembers.

For Mater Dei, the 15 penalties were a killer. Four of them kept Bishop Gorman drives alive. Also, the Monarchs' quarterback rotation continued, but this time it was only two player (see who they were below).

However, the rotation made absolutely no sense and seemed whimsical at best.

4TH QUARTER

TOUCHDOWN! Hinton finishes off Mater Dei with a 1-yard score. The junior running back has run wild tonight for the Gaels, who just added a cosmetic score that could help their natty case. Bishop Gorman 25, Mater Dei 8, 1:01 1st quarter

SCARY! Mater Dei has 15 penalties. Their latest - consecutive offsides - gave Bishop Gorman a 1st down and meant the Monarchs couldn't get the ball back. Wow. Just awful. It was the fourth time in the game that Mater Dei gave the Gaels a 1st down via penalty. Bishop Gorman 18, Mater Dei 8, 2:47 4th quarter

TOUCHDOWN! Asir Nembhard 13-yard touchdown reception fron Guess and the Monarchs are finally in the paint! Two-point conversion was successful. Mater Dei still has all three timeouts. Bishop Gorman 18, Mater Dei 8, 4:37 4th quarter

OPINION: If you're going to rotate quarterbacks like Mater Dei has been doing, then the rotation has to have some sort of rhyme or reason. There simply is none with the Monarchs. Sekona was brought in for 4th down on the previous down and now Guess is right back in on the following drive. Bishop Gorman 18, Mater Dei 0, 6:22 4th quarter

TURNOVER ON DOWNS! Mater Dei had 1st-and-goal from the Gaels' 3-yard line but a offensive pass interference backed the Monarchs up and thwarted the opportunity.

Strangely, Sekona was brought back into the game for 4th-and-short from inside the Bishop Gorman 5-yard line. But the Gaels held. Guess had been moving the team but was taken out just for that place. Bishop Gorman 18, Mater Dei 0, 10:44, 4th quarter

3RD QUARTER

TURNOVER ON DOWNS! Mater Dei comes up with a big stop, holding Bishop Gorman without points despite the Gaels driving deep into Mater Dei territory. The Monarchs are hanging by a string and must get something going offensively.

Maybe another QB switch will do the trick. Bishop Gorman 18, Mater Dei 0, 1:26 3rd quarter

TOUCHDOWN! Bishop Gorman adds to the lead on a 1-yard TD run by QB Ace Amina. The score was set up by a nice run by Corey Hinton, who hobbled off the field. Both Gorman running backs - starter Noah Cole and Hinton - may be dealing with injuries. 2-pt try failed. Bishop Gorman 18, Mater Dei 0, 6:45 3rd quarter

INTERESTING! A stat that was posted by NFHS said that Mater Dei has 18 active recruits that are rated as 3-stars or higher. Bishop Gorman has 13. Mater Dei gets the ball first to start the 2nd half. Bishop Gorman 12, Mater Dei 0, 11:45 3rd quarter

HALFTIME

ANALYSIS: Mater Dei's defense is keeping the team in the game. Bishop Gorman's passing game is struggling a little against the Monarchs pressure and secondary.

That aspect (defense) of Mater Dei is definitely a CIF-SS Division 1 championship caliber. But rotating QBs means there is going to be hiccups and one of them tonight led directly to a Bishop Gorman field goal.

Is Bishop Gorman actually going to give up any points tonight? We're wondering if the Gaels can pitch the shutout. They need something like that to put on their resume while they do image repair following the Florida loss.

2ND QUARTER

FIELD GOAL! Bishop Gorman adds to its lead on another Clark field goal. This time from 30 yards out. Mater Dei's defense keeping the Monarchs in this game. Bishop Gorman 12, Mater Dei 0, 0:10, 2nd quarter

QB SWITCH! Mater Dei has gone to junior Russell Sekona at QB as we navigate the 2nd quarter. This is nothing new. Monarchs have been rotating three QBs all season. And he actually completed a deep pass that was wiped out by, what else, a Mater Dei penalty. Bishop Gorman 9, Mater Dei 0, 7:22 2nd quarter

TURNOVER ON DOWNS! Mater Dei drove to the Bishop Gorman 34, but got no further. Guess couldn't find anyone or anything on 4th-and-4. Bishop Gorman 9, Mater Dei 0, 10:23 2nd quarter

1ST QUARTER

FIELD GOAL! Cason Clark hits a 28-yard field goal following the interception. Mater Dei defense came up big there. Bishop Gorman 9, Mater Dei 0, 3:23 1st quarter

INTERCEPTION! Bishop Gorman's Darian Abella picks off Guess and returns it deep into MD territory. Dangerous starting a frosh against this Gaels D. Bishop Gorman 6, Mater Dei 0, 5:14 1st quarter

GUESS STARTS AT QB! Ace Guess gets the start for the Monarchs. Only a freshman, he has been playing well in Mater Dei's QB rotation. Oh hey, there's another Mater Dei penalty. Their fifth of the game and we're only a few minutes in. Bishop Gorman 6, Mater Dei, 5:30 1st quarter

TOUCHDOWN! Bishop Gorman strikes first on a 1-yard Corey Hinton TD run. Mater Dei had four, count 'em FOUR, penalties on the first drive. 62-yard drive for the Gaels. PAT was no good. Bishop Gorman 6, Mater Dei 0

Note: According to the NFHS website, they are having technical difficulties. So welcome in, we got you covered.

PREGAME

The Monarchs lead the all-time series, 5-0, including their 27-24 win last season. Mater Dei competes in the vaunted Trinity League and has started the 2026 campaign with a 4-0 record. 

Mater Dei was able to beat Corona Centennial last week while actively rotating their quarterbacks. The Monarchs defense was able to come up with some big plays to hold Centennial down. 

Bishop Gorman followed its win over St. John Bosco in Week 1 with a loss on national television against Columbus of Florida. 

The Gaels beat Lone Peak of Utah two weeks ago and enters Friday's game off a bye week. Bishop Gorman's schedule tails off following the Mater Dei game with the next five opponents all being Nevada-based schools. 

THINGS TO WATCH

As you'd expect in a game that features two teams with national championship aspirations, there are endless matchups that feature top-notch talent going against each other.

Here are two that we think could be the difference in the game.

Bishop Gorman QB Ace Amina vs. Mater Dei secondary

The junior won the starting job after a summer-long battle with Kansas commit Chance Thomas, who is no longer with the team.

Amina is completing 67 percent of his passes for 727 yards and nine touchdowns. He is going up against a Monarchs secondary that has several next-level talents patrolling things.

Bishop Gorman QB Ace Amina has a tough matchup against Mater Dei's talented secondary.
Bishop Gorman QB Ace Amina has a tough matchup against Mater Dei's talented secondary. | Jules Karney

Bishop Gorman, for whatever reason, has not yet established a consistent outside threat. That means Amina has no go-to guy for when the rush is getting after him.

If Amina is able to regularly beat the Mater Dei pressure by finding the open man, something he did beautifully against St. John Bosco, it will be a long night for Mater Dei’s star-studded secondary.

Mater Dei QB rotation vs. Bishop Gorman’s front seven

The Gaels have one of the best pass rushes in the country, led by Braylon Ivory and Tayaun Lawrence. That’s bad news for whoever is under center for Mater Dei.

Senior Cameron Pooley recently committed to Colorado, but he actually played the least last week against Centennial. Freshman Paytyn Guess has a bright future, but this is a tall ask.

Junior Russell Sekona is also in the mix for the Monarchs depending on what coaches are feeling at a particular time.

Does Mater Dei’s rotation give Bishop Gorman trouble by not knowing what to expect? Or does the Gaels defensive front make life miserable for whoever is back there, especially if Bishop Gorman has a lead and can tee off? 

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Aram Tolegian
ARAM TOLEGIAN

Aram Tolegian has worked in sports media since 2001, covering everything from multiple Rose Bowls to the Breeders' Cup to more high school championships than he can remember. His work has been featured across several FOX Sports platforms in addition to major daily newspapers like the LA Daily News and Orange County Register. Aram can be seen regularly as co-host of the Fattal Factor on YouTube. He began contributing to High School On SI in 2026.

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