HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ROUNDUP : Mater Dei Rolls Past No. 1 Eisenhower, 34-20
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Santa Ana Mater Dei defeated previously unbeaten and top-ranked Eisenhower, 34-20, in a Southern Section Division I quarterfinal playoff game Friday night at Orange Coast College.
Mater Dei (7-5) scored 20 points in the fourth quarter to knock off the Eagles and advance to the semifinals against Quartz Hill, which defeated Rubidoux, 24-14, on Friday.
Eisenhower entered the game with an 11-0 record and a No. 12-ranking in USA Today’s national poll. The Eagles had given up 80 points in 11 games.
But Mater Dei, which rolled to a 58-31 victory over Long Beach Poly last week, had another big game on offense.
Quarterback Billy Blanton completed 13 of 17 passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Derek Sparks gained 188 yards in 26 carries and scored two touchdowns.
Sparks’ one-yard run and an extra-point kick by Cliff Roberts gave Mater Dei a 21-20 lead with 11:57 left.
Blanton passed to David Gonzalez for a seven-yard touchdown with 8:53 left before Sparks scored on a 92-yard run with 3:57 remaining.
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