Corona, CA: Mater Dei can't keep up with Centennial this time

Barkley has a rough night as the Monarchs are beaten on both sides of the ball.

Friday night's nonleague game between Centennial of Corona and Mater Dei turned into another track meet.

This time, however, the Huskies were the ones celebrating at the finish line. The Huskies (2-0), behind a balanced offense, exacted a bit of revenge against the Monarchs (2-1) with a 47-35 home victory at Santa Ana Stadium in front of an estimated crowd of 7,500.

"I thought it was a continuation of last year's game," Centennial coach Matt Logan said."Our defense played great in the second half to hold them to just that one score."

This year's game didn't have the video game-like numbers of last year's meeting, when the teams combined for more than 1,300 total yards. The Monarchs won last year's meeting that game, 51-37, also played at Santa Ana Stadium. The teams combined for 966 total yards Friday.

"Very physical, very fast," was how Mater Dei coach Bruce Rollinson described Centennial.

The Huskies were the designated home team and made themselves feel right at home from the outset.

Much of that physical play was evident in the Huskies ground attack, led by senior running back Arthur Burns. Burns, who was a backup to Ryan Bass (Arizona St.) last year, performed like a star against the Monarchs. He rushed for 234 yards on 29 carries and four touchdowns. (Bass rushed for 350 yards last year against the Monarchs.)

Centennial displayed its defensive plan early in the game when they sacked Mater Dei quarterback Matt Barkley on the third play.

Offensively, the Huskies scored on their first possession in 18 seconds by going 47 yards on two plays, and they didn't seem to be stopped seemed to be unstoppable after that .It all added up to a long night for Barkley and the county's top-ranked team Mater Dei Monarchs.

Barkley completed 23 of 45 passes for 412 yards. He threw three touchdowns passes but was intercepted three times. He was also sacked three times.

The Huskies were able to get to Barkley throughout the game and forced him into several rushed throws. Mater Dei was again forced to play without junior offensive lineman Chris Ward, who is out because of a knee injury.

Centennial went into halftime with a 33-28 lead. It opened the second half with a five-play, 68-yard drive that ended on a 3-yard run by Burns to put the Monarchs back on their heels.

The defense held the Monarchs scoreless in the second half until a 3-yard touchdown pass from Barkley to Derek Campbell with 3:12 left in the game.

This was second time in the first three games this season that Mater Dei has allowed an opponent to score at least 40 points.

Mater Dei allowed 43 points to Carson in its season opener, Sept. 3.The Monarchs play host to L.A. Jordan next Thursday.