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Centennial upsets No. 1 Mater Dei in top California high school football matchup: Live score recap - Sept. 12, 2025

The Huskies pulled the upset after the Monarchs committed seven turnovers in the game

Jack Butler

The St. Thomas defense applies some heavy pressure to Mater Dei quarterback Ryan Hopkins.
The St. Thomas defense applies some heavy pressure to Mater Dei quarterback Ryan Hopkins. / Robson Lopes

The No. 23 Centennial/Corona Huskies (3-1) defeated the national No. 1 Mater Dei Monarchs (2-2) 43-36 in a high school football top-25 matchup on Friday at Centennial High School.

The Monarchs turned the ball over seven times in the game, had over 100 yards of penalties and committed a safety.

Meanwhile, Centennial capitalized on many of the turnovers, especially in the first half. Linebacker Jonathan McKinley had three sacks, and he recovered a fumble, in the first half alone. One of his sacks popped the ball up into the air and out of Mater Dei quarterback Ryan Hopkins' hands.

Defensive back Jaden Walk-Green snagged it for an interception and a touchdown.
Walk-Green, also a kicker, hit two field goals, including one to tie the game in the fourth quarter., and snagged the game-winning interception.

Mater Dei had a spectacular third quarter. The Monarchs erased a 26-point deficit to take a 36-33 lead entering the fourth quarter. But the turnovers returned in the final quarter after they fumbled, and then after they threw an interception, arguably a reception, on the final drive to end the game.

Mater Dei entered the game on a 21-game winning streak, and the Huskies had not defeated the Monarchs since 2015.

Both teams are ranked in High School On SI's national top-25 rankings, and Mater Dei is No. 2 and Centennial/Corona is No. 8 in our California top 25 rankings, respectively.

Mater Dei plays Bishop Gorman (NV) next week, and Centennial plays Rancho Cucamonga.

Centennial upsets Mater Dei in top California high school football matchup: Live score recap - September 12, 2025

First Quarter Updates

Centennial receives the opening kickoff and we're underway.

TOUCHDOWN CENTENNIAL! Malaki Davis runs up the middle for a 13-yard touchdown as the Huskies score on their opening drive. PAT is good - Centennial 7, Mater Dei 0

Centennial's Jonathan McKinley sacks Mater Dei quarterback Ryan Hopkins on the Monarchs' first drive. The Monarchs punt, and the Huskies will have the ball on their 21-yard line.

The Mater Dei defense holds on Centennial's second drive, and the Huskies punt. Mater Dei will have the ball on its own 8-yard line.

TOUCHDOWN CENTENNIAL! Again, McKinley hits Hopkins, and this time the ball flings into the air, where defensive back Jaden Walk-Green catches it returns it for the touchdown. PAT is good - Centennial 14, Mater Dei 0

FUMBLE BY MATER DEI! The Mater Dei center snaps the ball over Hopkins' head, and the Huskies recover and will have the ball on their 17-yard line. McKinley recovered the fumble.

TOUCHDOWN CENTENNIAL! Davis scores on 1-yard touchdown run. PAT is good - Corona/Centennial 21, Mater Dei 0 - 3:11 1Q

FUMBLE BY MATER DEI! Hopkins gets hit again while trying to pass, and Centennial recovers the fumble. They'll have the ball on Mater Dei's 36-yard line.

TOUCHDOWN CENTENNIAL! Zander Lewis with an 8-yard touchdown run. PAT is good -- Centennial 28, Mater Dei 0 - 0:30 1Q

END OF FIRST QUARTER: Centennial/Corona 28, Mater Dei 0

Second Quarter Updates

TOUCHDOWN MATER DEI! Hopkins throws a 36-yard touchdown pass to Kayden Dixon-Wyatt to finish a long Monarch drive. PAT is good - Centennial 28, Mater Dei 7 - 9:53 2Q

FIELD GOAL CENTENNIAL! Jaden Walk-Green hits the 33-yard field goal - Centennial/Corona 31, Mater Dei 7 - 5:27 2Q

TURNOVER ON DOWNS BY MATER DEI! Hopkins tries to run on fourth down, but the Centennial defense stops it. The Monarchs try the QB run, but the Huskies stop it. No surprise, McKinley in on the tackle. They'll have the ball on their 30-yard line with over four minutes remaining.

Centennial goes three-and-out, and the Huskies pin the Monarchs at the 10-yard line on the punt.

SAFETY BY MATER DEI! Backed up to the 1-yard line after a McKinley sack, Mater Dei's Hopkins can't corral the snap, and Huskies swarm, but the ball squirts out the back of the end zone - Centennial 33, Mater Dei 7 - 1:10 2Q

Centennial drives into Mater Dei territory with seconds remaining, but the Monarchs sack Centennial quarterback Dominick Catalano, and it ends the drive.

HALFTIME: Centennial/Corona 33, Mater Dei 7

Mater Dei had four turnovers, one for a Centennial touchdown, and one safety in the first half. The Monarchs could barely block Huskies edge rusher McKinley, who has three sacks and a fumble recovery.

Halftime stats: Centennial with 154 rushing yards, 55 passing yards and zero turnovers. Mater Dei has -25 rushing yards, 89 passing yards and four turnovers.

Third Quarter Updates

Mater Dei receives the second half kickoff, and we're underway.

TOUCHDOWN MATER DEI! Senior running back Justin Lewis punches in a short-yardage touchdown run to finish a methodical drive. Shaun Scott runs in a 2-point conversion - Centennial/Corona 33, Mater Dei 15 - 9:56 3Q

Centennial can't convert on third down, and the Huskies will punt. Mater Dei will start a drive on its 14-yard line - 8:26 3Q

FUMBLE BY MATER DEI! Hopkins fumbles the handoff with Lewis, and the Huskies jump on the loose ball. It looked like Hopkins tried to keep it on a read. Centennial will take over on Mater Dei's 47-yard line - 8:11 3Q

Mater Dei running back Lewis is being helped off the field after he went down with an injury after the fumbled handoff.

INTERCEPTION BY MATER DEI! Senior defensive back CJ Lavender Jr. intercepts a pass for the Monarchs. They'll have the ball on their 24-yard line with just under seven minutes remaining.

TOUCHDOWN MATER DEI! Hopkins scrambles for a 42-yard touchdown. Scott runs in another 2-point conversion - Centennial/Corona 33, Mater Dei 23 - 5:07 3Q

Centennial punts again, and Mater Dei has the ball on its 29-yard line to start the drive.

TOUCHDOWN MATER DEI! On the first play of the drive, Hopkins finds Dixon-Wyatt open down the sideline for a 71-yard touchdown. PAT is good - Centennial/Corona 33, Mater Dei 30 - 2:39 3Q

FUMBLE BY CENTENNIAL! Centennial quarterback Catalano fumbled the handoff with Davis, and the Monarchs recovered. Mater Dei will take over with the ball on the Huskies 47-yard line - 1:50 3Q

TOUCHDOWN MATER DEI! The Monarchs take the lead with a Kennie Leggett 1-yard touchdown run. McKinely blocks the PAT attempt for the Huskies - Mater Dei 36, Centennial 33 - 0:23 3Q

END OF THIRD QUARTER: Mater Dei 36, Centennial 33

Fourth Quarter Updates

FIELD GOAL CENTENNIAL! Walk-Green with a 36-yard field goal - Centennial 36, Mater Dei 36 - 8:27 4Q

FUMBLE BY MATER DEI! The Monarchs commit their fifth turnover of the night, this one a fumble by Lewis. Centennial will take over on Mater Dei's 39-yard line - 8:12 4Q

Centennial converts on 4th-and-10 to keep a drive alive. Catalano connects with Keawe Browne on a sideline catch.

TOUCHDOWN CENTENNIAL! Davis rushes in the touchdown in the red zone. PAT is good - Centennial 43, Mater Dei 36 - 2:28 4Q

Mater Dei has two timeouts remaining.

INTERCEPTION BY CENTENNIAL! While getting hit by McKinley, Hopkins throws the ball up, and Dixon-Wyatt and Walk-Green catch the ball at the same time. The initial call is a Mater Dei catch, but it's then overturned to an interception. Centennial has the ball with 1:50 remaining, and Mater Dei has no timeouts.

Centennial is kneeling the ball on this possession.

FINAL: Centennial 43, Mater Dei 36

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Jack Butler
JACK BUTLER

Jack Butler is the Regional Editor of the Midwest for SBLive/High School on SI. Jack has covered high school sports in Oregon, Arizona and Minnesota.

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