4 days to No. 1 St. John Bosco vs. No. 2 Mater Dei: Game-by-game series history, scores, more

See every score of the previous 39 games between the two Southern California powers battling for 40th time Friday night

The battle between the national No. 1 and No. 2 high school football teams used to be a novelty, an unfathomable pairing, a stop-the-presses, 'you-got-to-be-kidding' gridiron happening. 

Now it's an annual showdown in the CIF-Southern Section's Trinity League. 

When Mater Dei-Santa Ana and St. John Bosco-Bellflower tangle it's much more than gaining the inside track for a league crown. 

It's a big deal. ... a big national deal. 

Friday's matchup between 6-0 Southern California teams at Santa Ana Stadium — only seven miles from Disneyland, the "Happiest Place on Earth' — is at least the fourth time national ranking services have had them meeting as the top two teams in the country. 

The SBLive/Sports Illustrated Power 25 has had St. John Bosco at No. 1 and Mater Dei No. 2 since the preseason so Friday's Oct. 7 date has been circled with red, blue and gold sharpies for months. 

The game was so hot it was offered up by officials of SoFi Stadium, home of the Rams and Chargers, but ultimately Mater Dei wanted to keep it at cozy, loud and intimate Santa Ana Stadium, the Monarchs' home stadium that seats about 9,000 fans.  

Twice this season opponents of Mater Dei almost ruined the showdown, which features more than 70 players who are projected as FBS players, including  5-stars Matayo Uiagalelei, a senior edge rusher, and junior safety Peyton Woodyard, both of Bosco. 

Peyton Woodyard (7), St. John Bosco. Photo: Leon Neuschwander

Mater Dei had to fight from behind to win Friday over JSerra Catholic-San Juan Capistrano 21-13 just as it did Aug. 26 at nationally-ranked Bishop Gorman-Las Vegas (24-21).

Bosco has had no such trouble, sending five of its six games to a running clock while outscoring foes 291-31. 

The history of the game since 2016 has been epic, with Mater Dei winning seven of the last 10 by a cumulative score of 317-266.

Before that, Bosco, riding the energy of their then-new coach Jason Negro, and influx of talent, especially on defense, had won six straight from 2011-2015 in dominating fashion, by a combined count of 179-77.

Before that, it was all Monarchs. They own a hefty 28-11 edge overall with an average margin of victory at 28-17. 

Mater Dei won the first game in the series 42-6 in 1966, took the first five overall before Bosco got on the board with a 13-10 win in 1984. 

Then it was nine straight for the Monarchs, who were shocked 28-27 in 2002 when Bosco grabbed its first Sierra League crown following a missed extra point in overtime. From there, It was back to Mater Dei's dominance with seven more wins, before Bosco and Negro took charge in 2011. 

Now it's back in Mater Dei's court with four wins in the last five meetings, including 42-21 during the regular 2021 season at Bosco, scoring three unanswered touchdowns in the second half behind then-sophomore quarterback Elijah Brown.

He's led the Monarchs to 23 consecutive victories since taking over as a starter his freshman season.

See below for the entire series.

Look for more features, analysis, videos, photos, quotes and quips here at SBLive leading up to Friday's Titanic and then full game and postgame coverage. 

Elijah Brown (12), Mater Dei

MATCHUP HISTORY

Year	Mater Dei	St. John Bosco
1966	42	6
1967	34	7
1977	29	3
1979	21	7
1980	10	7
1984	10	13
1985	27	3
1990	48	21
1991	35	7
1997	40	7
1997*	42	8
1998	20	13
1999	28	0
2000	41	7
2001	38	28
2002	27	28
2003	24	17
2004	34	7
2005	20	0
2006	28	7
2008	35	6
2009	42	14
2010	31	20
2011	3	24
2012	19	27
2013	2	24
2013*	7	34
2014	25	28
2015	21	42
2016	26	21
2016*	28	42
2017	31	21
2017*	49	24
2018	18	41
2018*	17	13
2019	38	24
2019*	34	39
2020-21 spring	34	17
2021 fall	42	21
Total wins	28	11
Total points (average)	1,100 (28.5)	681 (17.5)