This Thursday, Southern California High School football turns the spotlight on an all-time opening kickoff in Santa Ana, as No.1 Mater Dei welcomes No. 9 Corona Centennial.
It’s a Super 25 clash that will set the tone for the rest of the season, and if the Huskies pull off the road win at the Santa Ana Bowl, it could stymie national championship history as well.
Centennial is very much primed for the task in 2024, too, with plenty of talent on both sides of the ball to flip the 28-14 outcome in 2023.
On offense, the team is led by five-star quarterback Husan Longstreet (Texas A&M commit), who has the playmaking capabilities to legitimately threaten the Monarchs’ staked defense. His 3,000-plus passing yards and 24 touchdowns last season—in a tough league/section against a demanding schedule—are why many see him as one of the best in the Golden State entering 2024.
On the outside, Cory Butler Jr. (Arizona State commit) and Tavian McNair (Utah commit) are the most notable targets for Longstreet, while offensive lineman Drew Hill (SMU commit) will be tasked with holding off the strong rush from the defense.
The Huskies’ defense will have to face the more demanding challenge on the night, however, with part of the focus coming down to stopping the Monarch’s passing game. Look for Michigan State commit LaRue Zamorano II to impact that mission.
Stopping the passing game is only part of the battle, mind you, and highlights just how loaded Mater Dei’s roster is this season under first-year head coach Raul Lara.
Chaparral (Temecula, Calif.) transfer Dash Beierly (Washington commit) takes over the QB duties, with a stout line to protect him while talented playmakers in running back Jordon Davison (Oregon commit) and junior wide receiver Chris Henry Jr. (Ohio State commit) add matchup nightmares for the opposition.
On the defensive side of the ball, it’s an All-Star group, with Daryus Dixson (Penn State commit) and Chuck McDonald (Alabama commit) in the secondary, Abduall Sanders Jr. (Alabama commit) at the second level and Nasir Wyatt (Oregon commit) holding down the edge.
Will the staked lineup be enough to give the Monarchs a sixth straight win over Huskies?
Or does head coach Matt Logan and the Centennial squad pull off the update on the road, making it much more difficult for Mater Dei to finally break the all-time Super 25 championship tie with De La Salle (Concord, Calif.)?
High school football fans around the nation who are looking to watch the Super 25 matchup can live stream the game on the NFHS Network.
(Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports)
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