(Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
The easy answer is that after the Braves lost to then-No. 1 Mater Dei in a game that saw quarterback Pierce Clarkson go down with injury, they avenged that loss in an epic championship clash that ended with the Braves winning 24-22 and handing the Monarchs their first loss since No. 30, 2019 (a game also against Bosco).
But while the championship over the better part of the last decade has run through the Trinity League, it’s not just that one win. The Braves checked all the boxes this season. They had victories over national teams, namely Allen (Texas) and Hawaii state champion Kahuku. They took care of business against Californian teams on the fringe of the Super 25, like Mission Viejo and Serra (San Mateo), the latter of which was ranked No. 19 when Bosco blew them out 45-0. And of course, the Braves beat Mater Dei, which is something no other team can say they did.
They had the Div. I talent, with 29 players ranked three-star or better by 247Sports between the classes of 2023 and 2024. Quarterback Pierce Clarkson was a consistent presence, creating more than 2,800 total yards and 35 touchdowns and helping the team average 42 points per game.
While the Bosco offense was rolling, the defense was crushing opponents. The only game in which the Braves allowed at least 20 points was in the win against Mater Dei. Opponents averaged 7.9 points per game, and over the course of the season, the Braves outscored opponents 592-111.
It was hard to stop Bosco on offense and even harder to put points up against its defense. Nobody had an answer. For the second time in program history, St. John Bosco is the Super 25 National Champion.
