CHULA VISTACHULA VISTA — BY KEVIN J. FARMER
CHULA VISTA –
Can it be 2022 all over again for the Mater Dei Catholic football team?
A year ago the Crusaders started 0-4 against a brutal schedule only to turn things around and run off 11 straight victories to claim back-to-back state titles.
The unranked Crusaders made it two wins in a row after an 0-3 start against the same brutal competition, by downing visiting No. 10 St. Augustine 23-14 Friday night in a non-league contest.
“We all know what we did last year so why not do it again,” said Mater Dei junior quarterback Kartell Purvis. “For sure we can do it again.”
Coming into the contest Mater Dei had outscored Saints 79-0 over the last two years, including last year’s 44-0 shutout which ignited that 11-game winning streak culminating in the victory over Oakland McClymonds 26-18 in the 2-AA Final.
It didn’t take long for the Crusaders (2-3) to build some confidence in this game.
On the first play from scrimmage, senior running back Jordan Jackson went straight up the middle, cut slightly left and raced 59 yards for a 7-0 Mater Dei lead just 15 seconds into the game.
“I just saw the hole and hit it, my O-line did a great job on the play,” said Jackson. “To tell the truth, I knew we had the game won right there.”
St. Augustine (3-3) still had something to say about that.
The Saints came back and drove 80 yards in 15 plays to tie the score at 7-7 with Parker Johnson carrying in for the six.
Midway through the second quarter Mater Dei regained the lead 13-7 with a bit of trickery. They ran a double reverse with the ball ending up back in the hands of Purvis. He looked up and found senior Parker Pet open in the end zone for the 69-yard score.
“I saw he had a step so I threw it up to him and let him be the athlete,” said Purvis, who completed 15 of 18 es for the night for 198 yards and a TD.
Again the Saints answered back after blocking the extra point. This time they drove 75 yards in seven plays. Sophomore Brady Palmer (13-of-21 197 yards, TD, Int) completed three es on the drive for 69 yards, including the nine-yard TD to Isaiah Hasten for a 14-13 lead.
The biggest plays in the second half were turned in by the Mater Dei defense after the Crusaders grabbed the lead back on a 28-yard field goal by Ricky Osuna with 5:58 left in the third quarter.
The first big defensive play came on the ensuring Saints’ drive. Palmer completed a over the middle to Johnson, but as he crossed midfield Isaiah Cook ripped the ball out of Johnson’s hands and went the other way back to the 12.
Three plays later San Diego State-bound Anthony McMillian went in from the three for the score.
The final big defensive play came after the Saints marched all the way down to the Mater Dei 1 only to be denied when Johnny Scott tackled William Flores for a yard loss on fourth and goal.
Farmer is a freelance writer.
Mater Dei Catholic 23, St. Augustine 14
St. Augustine 7 7 0 0 — 14
Mater Dei Catholic 7 6 10 0 — 23
MD — Jackson 59 run (Osuna kick)
SA — Johnson 3 run (Garcia kick)
MD — Patterson 69 from Purvis (kick failed)
SA — Hasten 9 from Palmer (Garcia kick)
MD — FG Osuna 28
MD — McMillian 3 run (Osuna kick)
