‘Most complete team in the country’: What to know on Gorman’s next foe

The Gaels (2-0), the defending national champions, are ranked No. 2 by MaxPreps and USA Today. Mater Dei (1-0) is No. 1.

The meeting between the two teams at 7 p.m. Friday in Santa Ana, California, will serve as a de facto high school football national championship game. MaxPreps national football editor Zack Poff said it should be “one of the best games over the last decade.”

“The winner of this game controls their own destiny when it comes to finishing No. 1,” Poff said. “It’s going to be hard to leap (whoever wins).”

A close loss wouldn’t eliminate Gorman from national title contention, Poff said. The Gaels could still have a path if Mater Dei stumbles in Trinity League play.

Gorman jumped the Monarchs in the rankings last season after Matei Dei lost to St. John Bosco (California). The Gaels also finished fourth in the national rankings in 2022 despite losing to the Monarchs.

Still, the easiest way for Gorman to win its fifth mythical national championship is to win Friday against “the most complete team in the country,” according to Poff.

Here are three things to know about Mater Dei entering the showdown:

1. ‘Loaded with talent’

It’s no surprise, but the Monarchs are full of highly touted recruits who will soon play for Division I programs. Poff said Mater Dei is “loaded with talent” at every position.

The wide receivers in particular stand out. The group is led by five-star Ohio State commit Chris Henry Jr. It also features four-star Oklahoma commit Marcus Harris and junior four-star Kayden Dixon-Wyatt.

Senior running back Jordan Davison is another featured player in the Monarchs’ offense. The Oregon commit rushed for 122 yards and a touchdown in Mater Dei’s season-opening 42-25 win against Centennial (Corona, California) on Aug. 22.

Poff said the Monarchs are deep on defense, too.

“They’ve got a very good defensive line, the linebacking (group) is good, and their secondary is big time with (senior cornerback) Daryus Dixson, who’s a Penn State commit,” Poff said. “They also have (junior cornerback) Chuck McDonald III, who’s an Alabama commit.”

2. New quarterback

Mater Dei, like Gorman, is breaking in a new starting quarterback this season. Washington commit Ashton Beierly has taken the reins of the Monarchs’ offense after four-year starter Elijah Brown graduated.

Beierly, a senior, completed 10 of 19 passes for 110 yards in Mater Dei’s opener. He also rushed for 51 yards. Beierly started at Chaparral (California) the past three seasons.

“It’s hard to replace a guy like (Brown). I think they’re still getting comfortable with the new quarterback, but (Beierly), he’s a stud,” Poff said. “I think he’s going to have a good senior year to close out his high school career.”

Beierly threw for 4,782 yards and 41 touchdowns in three seasons at Chaparral. He also has a strong offensive line to protect him. Poff said the Monarchs’ group up front is the second-best in the country, behind only the Gaels’.

3. Change in leadership

In November, Mater Dei coach Frank McManus called out Gorman following the Monarchs’ 35-7 win over St. John Bosco in the California Interscholastic Federation Division I Southern Section title game.

“To be honest, we’re ready to take on Gorman,” McManus said. “We’ll lace ’em up and play anyone, anywhere. This team, we’re ready to roll.”

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A passionate @MDFootball Head Coach, Frank McManus speaks following a Championship win🏆@CIFSS pic.twitter.com/Ww2RctqGvw

— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) November 25, 2023

Mater Dei will get its shot at Gorman, but McManus won’t. The school announced in April it fired him after one season.

His replacement, Raul Lara, has a long history in Southern California. Lara is best known for going 142-30 in 13 seasons at Long Beach Poly and winning five Southern Section titles.

“This is a guy who’s not afraid of the national stage,” Poff said.

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.