Sports
Mater Dei dominates Bishop Gorman from the start in clash of powerhouses
It might still be early in the season, but Mater Dei and Las Vegas Bishop Gorman, the top two ranked teams in the nation by multiple ratings services, meeting in front of more than 8,000 fans could have marked a de facto national championship game.
And if Friday night at Santa Ana Stadium was for all the marbles, then the Monarchs (2-0) better get fitted for rings after their comfortable 31-15 victory over the Gaels (2-1).
“I told them in the beginning that there is so much talent,” said Mater Dei coach Raul Lara. “When we understand the brotherhood, and we stay together, and we understand our assignments and execute, nobody’s going to beat us.”
Washington commit Dash Beierly bounced back from his debut and completed 13 of 15 passes for 99 yards and one touchdown while rushing for 49 yards, showcasing the short-yardage, multi-facet game he displayed before transferring from Chaparral. Lara said Beierly needed to get used to the environment shift to playing at Mater Dei.
“The first game [I was] shaking some rust off,” Beierly said. “I came out confident [today]. The whole team came out confident.”
Beierly connected with junior wide receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt for 49 yards across the middle in the first quarter, helping drive downfield to set up a one-yard rushing touchdown from Jordon Davison and a 12-yard touchdown grab by 6-foot-6 wideout Chris Henry Jr. to jump out to a 14-0 lead.
Mater Dei High quarterback Dash Beierly makes a pass from the pocket against Bishop Gorman on Friday at Santa Ana Stadium.
(Craig Weston)
Following up his first-quarter score on the ground, Davison added another to start the scoring in the third, skipping down the right sideline for a 23-yard touchdown. The 6-foot senior ended the contest with 99 yards in 19 carries. Mater Dei had 171 rushing yards overall.
But it wasn’t just the offense working for the Monarchs.
Sacks from Abduall Sanders and Dailon Clanton on the Gaels’ first possession set the tone for Bishop Gorman’s offensive struggles. In the second quarter, Oregon commit Nasir Wyatt sacked Gaels’ quarterback Melvin Spicer IV in Monarchs’ territory. The stop led to a missed field-goal attempt.
Mater Dei sacked Spicer six times, with Sanders and Clanton tallying two a piece.
“When I got here, that was one thing that was very daunting,” Lara said. “It’s not even four guys. It’s like eight guys. They’re tenacious coming after the quarterback.”
Bishop Gorman scored a second-quarter touchdown — aided by Mater Dei’s eight first-half penalties for 71 yards. With less than two minutes left in regulation, the Gaels added a touchdown and a two-point conversion. The Gaels tallied just 152 yards of offense.
Mater Dei remains undefeated against teams other than Trinity League rival St. John Bosco since the start of the 2016 season. Potentially two games between the programs still await in 2024.
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If the Super Bowl marks the end of the NFL season, WrestleMania is when WWE’s year is over.
There is no offseason in WWE, and when waves of departures hit the company, it hits harder than a Gunther knife-edge chop.
Uncle Howdy, Erick Rowan, Dexter Lumis, Joe Gacy, and Nikki Cross appear during SmackDown at First Horizon Center in Savannah, Ga., on May 23, 2025. (Rich Freeda/WWE)
Fightful and BodySlam both reported several superstars who left WWE on Friday ahead of “Friday Night SmackDown.” Some wrestlers confirmed their departures on social media.
Those who left included: Alba Fyre, Aleister Black, Alex Shelley, Andre Chase, Apollo Crews, Bo Dallas, Chris Island, Chris Sabin, Dante Chen, Dexter Lumis, Erick Rowan, Joe Gacy, Kairi Sane, Luca Crusifino, Malik Blade, Nikki Cross, Santos Escobar, Sirena Linton, Trill London, Tyra Mae Steele, Tyriek Igwe, Tyson Dupont, Zelina Vegas and Zoey Stark.
The WWE roster is loaded as it is with several NXT stars getting called up this week.
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Sol Ruca made her presence felt on Raw on Monday when she challenged women’s champion Liv Morgan. The Fatal Influence faction of Jacy Jayne, Lainey Reid and Fallon Henley took aim at the women’s tag team division on SmackDown on Friday. Ricky Saints and Blake Monroe also had vignettes for their upcoming appearances.
Meanwhile, former NXT champion Oba Femi has been on main WWE programming for the last few weeks and beat Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 42.
Kairi Sane enters the ring during Monday Night RAW at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif., on April 13, 2026. (Rich Freeda/WWE)
Aleister Black and Zelina Vega make their way to the ring during SmackDown at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri, on April 3, 2026. (Craig Melvin/WWE)
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It’s not the end of the road for any of the recent departures. Several former WWE stars have made waves elsewhere. Some have even returned over the course of time.
Pitching coach Gus Rico was having dinner on Thursday when head coach Matt Mowry of Birmingham High complimented him on closer Aidan Martinez recording all seven of his outs on strikeouts.
“I had no idea,” Rico said. “Everything is a blur when I’m calling pitches.”
Martinez is throwing some blurs these days after returning this season following Tommy John surgery in June 2024. He touched 92 mph with his fastball and has been improving each week, getting better command and walking fewer batters. He has 28 strikeouts in 15 innings and three saves.
Birmingham is one game behind El Camino Real in the West Valley League standings going into showdown week, playing El Camino Real on Wednesday at on the road and Friday at home. The Patriots need a sweep to have a chance at their first league title under Mowry, who prefers winning City titles.
With Martinez throwing so well, it would be a good strategy for opposing teams to make sure they are leading going into the last two innings.
“He’s got a bright future,” Rico said.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
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Earlier this month, Michigan defeated UConn in the NCAA men’s basketball national championship game.
Shortly after the Wolverines captured the program’s first title since 1989, Michigan forward Morez Johnson Jr. announced he would enter the NBA Draft.
Despite declaring for the NBA Draft, Johnson has maintained his NCAA eligibility throughout the process. However, he has until May 27 to withdraw if he plans to return for his junior season.
Johnson played for Illinois during the 2024-25 season before transferring to Michigan last offseason.
Michigan’s Morez Johnson Jr. walks on the court against UConn at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis April 6, 2026. (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated)
After joining Michigan, Johnson quickly emerged as a key contributor, averaging the second-most points on the team. He also led the Wolverines in rebounding, averaging 7.3 per game.
Michigan head coach Dusty May eventually dubbed Johnson “The Enforcer” and “Junkyard Dog,” a nod to his tenacity on the defensive end. Johnson was named to the Big Ten’s All-Defensive Team.
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But Johnson’s offensive prowess didn’t take a back seat to his defensive strengths. His shooting from beyond the 3-point line showed improvement as the season progressed.
Morez Johnson Jr. of the Michigan Wolverines cuts down the net after defeating the UConn Huskies 69-63 in the 2026 NCAA national championship game in Indianapolis April 6, 2026. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Many early NBA projections gave Johnson a first-round grade. It’s unclear how much name, image and likeness (NIL) compensation he would command if he returns to Michigan or transfers elsewhere.
Johnson has been active on social media, interacting with teammates as they consider returning to Michigan for another championship push.
Morez Johnson Jr. of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates after scoring in the second half against the UConn Huskies during the 2026 NCAA national championship at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis April 6, 2026. (Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
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Michigan added a key piece this week, with Jalen Reed transferring from LSU, On3 reported. Reed was limited during the 2025-26 season by an Achilles injury.
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