Defending national champion Mater Dei announces 2025 football schedule

The Monarchs from Santa Ana (Calif.) will play four national powers, including a season opener in Florida against St. Thomas Aquinas

Mater Dei football players are all smiles with the 2024 CIF State Open Division trophy after beating De La Salle 37-15 at Saddleback College. / David Dennis

The defending SBLive/High Schools on SI national football champion Mater Dei Monarchs from Santa Ana (Calif.) are getting a head start on the 2025 season.

Mater Dei released its schedule on social media on Wednesday.

Last spring with Raul Lara hired late as the new coach, the Monarchs couldn't find a fifth and final nonleague opponent outside of the rugged Trinity League. So, Mater Dei played nine regular season games instead of 10.

It didn't hurt them while winning four playoff games, including De La Salle-Concord 37-15 in the state Open Division finals to finish 13-0.

The 2025 Mater Dei Varsity Football Schedule is official

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— Mater Dei Football (@MDFootball) March 13, 2025

In 2025, the Monarchs will open at perennial Florida power St. Thomas Aquinas, followed by nonleague home games with Bishop Montgomery and Hawaii power Kahuku. Mater Dei will close its nonleague schedule at Corona Centennial and Bishop Gorman, before the onslaught of the Trinity League.

Mater Dei closes with a Halloween date against archrival and perennial national co-power St. John Bosco.

Counting honorable mentions, Mater Dei plays four teams mentioned in Andy Villamarzo's Way-too-early Top 25 National High School Rankings.

Mater Dei, with five 2026 recruits among the Top 100 nationally from 247Sports, is ranked No. 1 according to Villamarzo.

Those five are tight end Mark Bowman (No. 24), tackle Kodi Green (No. 25, Oregon commit), wide receiver Chris Henry Jr. (No. 27, Ohio State), wide receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt (No. 59) and defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui (No. 100, Oregon).

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