PREP FOOTBALL / Saturday Pullout : Flynn and Friends Light Up Scoreboard : High schools: Pumped-up offense covers up a wealth of deficiencies as Mater Dei rolls to 55-14 victory over Servite.
FULLERTON — John Flynn, quarterback of that large safety net known as the Mater Dei offense, saw it coming a week ago. Servite was in a lot of trouble.
He walked off the field at Cal State Fullerton, following the Monarchs’ 55-14 rout, knowing everything was going to be all right this season.
“We had a rough training camp, but everything jelled last week,” Flynn said. “I knew the offense was ready. We know we can score points.”
That much was clear Friday night.
Flynn and Co. embarrassed Servite, who the Monarchs have not lost to since 1988. The rest of the team might have been rusty, but the offense was golden.
Blown coverages on defense? No problem. Flynn completed 15 of 19 passes for 250 yards and three touchdowns.
Pitiful special team play? Forget about it. Running back Steve Bodnar gained 70 yards and scored two touchdowns. Running back Joey Trampush gained 60 yards and scored one touchdown.
A few kinks in the kicking game? Hey, it happens. Sophomore Rod Perry had 135 all-purpose yards. He caught a 40-yard touchdown pass and also ran 20 yards for a score.
No matter what Servite did, no matter what the rest of the Monarchs did, the offense was there to make good.
“We have so many weapons that we’re going to get a lot points,” Bodnar said.
Servite tried to keep in step, but was not up to speed. The Friars opened with a no-huddle offense and had some success, but they were not prepared for the offensive whipping the Monarchs had in store.
“I think the no-huddle helped us,” Coach Bruce Rollinson said. “Not to be critical, but when we stopped them, our offense got the ball back faster.”
And did a lot with it.
The Monarchs had the ball six times in the first half and scored five touchdowns. Only the clock stopped them, as the half ended on their sixth possession.
By halftime, it was 41-17 and the Monarchs had 317 total yards.
“Everything was there,” Flynn said.
And that was bad for Servite.
“We have some dangerous receivers,” Flynn said. “And we have Bodnar and Trampush if the passing game isn’t there. But everything was there, just look at the scoreboard.”
Flynn and friends know a lot about such routs. It was just last December that the Monarchs were chased out of Anaheim Stadium, losing, 56-3, to Rialto Eisenhower in the Southern Section championship game. But those scars seemed to be healed.
The Friars had to look for moral victories where they could find them and even those were few.
Running back David Bedard slipped out of the backfield and caught a 71-yard touchdown pass from David Martin early in the first quarter. It was Servite’s first points against Mater Dei since 1991, a three-game scoreless streak.
Mater Dei fumbled a punt, had an extra point blocked and another sail wide. It didn’t matter.
The Friars stayed close for a time, thanks to Bedard. He returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown and the Friars trailed, 20-14, after one quarter.
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