Calhoun’s Games to Watch: Mater Dei vs. Servite
October 20th, 2009, 7:19 pm · · posted by Damian Calhoun
Best games to watch on the Week 7 schedule:
No. 8 Mater Dei (3-3, 0-1) vs. No. 3 Servite (5-1, 1-0)
Friday at Santa Ana Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
Outlook: 1988. That’s the last time Servite has defeated Mater Dei. The Monarchs enter this year’s meeting with a 20-game unbeaten streak (the teams played to a scoreless tie in 1992). This has to the year it ends, right?
Right?
On paper, you would probably say yes, but it is a good thing these games aren’t played on paper.
The Friars opened Trinity League play with a 37-19 victory over St. John Bosco of Bellflower. The Monarchs were defeated by Orange Lutheran last week.
There are a couple of big matchups that will likely determine the winner. Can Mater Dei slow Servite defensive lineman Kirifi Taula? Will the Friars be able to slow Victor Blackwell?
In case you weren’t watching, Blackwell had 12 receptions for 257 yards and three touchdowns. He also had three rushes for 37 yards. That’s 294 yards of total offense.
Last season, the Monarchs came out and ran the ball straight at Servite (rushing for 279 yards and didn’t allow any sacks) in the victory. Will they be able to dominate the line of scrimmage again?
Everybody knows about the Trinity League triple play where Orange Lutheran defeats Mater Dei who then defeats Servite who then defeats Orange Lutheran and all three teams end up 4-1.
The first leg is complete with the Lancers defeating Mater Dei (28-25) last week. Will phase No. 2 be completed?
Links to the rest of The Calhoun Six: Games to Watch:
No. 14 Trabuco Hills vs. Huntington Beach
No. 6 Orange Lutheran vs. No. 19 JSerra
No. 13 Tesoro vs. No. 2 Mission Viejo
No. 11 San Clemente vs. No. 5 Dana Hills
No. 1 Edison vs. No. 10 Newport Harbor
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This game will have more than a passive interest from a very large Servite alumni group, as it will have tremendous bearance on at least one particular coach’s future. It’s time for the Friars to come out with quiet confidence and understanding that the fight will be tenacious on the line of scrimmage and the hitting ferocious. I enjoy high school football and have been involved in two different states and I am definitely biased. There is no better example of a hard hitting rivalry than this one and I’ve experienced it for over fourty years and hope to do the same for years to come. Most hs players would love to play in a game of this notoriety…..it stays with you for life.
You are absolutely right about Servite’s upcoming game with MD, and I do agree a particular coach’s future is in limbo. Thomas needs to play his athletes and mix up his offensive play calling. The Offensive Coordinator from OCC has not impressed me with his Pop Warner play book.
Coach R. will have his horses and team ready to play as there is no bigger rivalry in the Trinity League then MD versus Servite. I expect MD to win impressively
wow, what a statement. A coach can have his team at or near the top of the charts in the county and in the state, for more then half of your season so far, but if he loses this game, then he should be turned out, tossed to the side.
If that is truly the case, how short sided the alumni must be, they never learned a thing from their experience or teaching at Servite.
A man should not be judged by one moment in his life but by the body of his work.
Maybe that is why Mater Dei keeps winning, Rollo is about teaching a young man that it is how he prepares himself for each day and to be better then the last. Life is about the body of work, not if you win or fail on any give day. So his team is ready to rise up to the new challenge, and live in fear of what well be thought of them if they should fail. The pressure they feel is from within, not by those adults that surround them.
Again if that is the case, Servite Alumni teach, if you dont win on this day, your a loser, a failure. Forget about what you did the rest of your season. What a lesson to teach their children and players.
With all that said, I dont think he will lose his job over this game, however when the alumni say things like this, the coach may feel some of that pressure, but his players feel it even more.
sorry, that should be “new challenge, and not live in fear of what will be thought”
Welcome to the real world, that which we were educated to live in with all the hustle bustle and ups and downs and politics and unfair judgements. The accountability that leaders are held to and the punishments and decisions that mankind hands out are all part of life’s journey and the fine teaching done every day by well intended educators and coaches should be applauded. Reality hits hard and ,at times, is totally unfair. Losing a football game to a rival holds no shame and succumbing to acceptance and repeated disappointment is a choice. The ability to bounce back and pull oneself up by the bootstraps is a tenet of strong character and the private school sector has done well to inspire these traits. Bravo to all the fine teachers and coaches with strong bodies of work.
All that being said, you and I and the guy next door are accountable and that’s a real part of our American way of life. We are taught at a very young age that winning isn’t everything….it’s how you play the game! Well don’t we play to win? Don’t we stand proud when our teams win? It’s not acceptable to cry about a loss, but have you or your kids experienced that sting? Of course, and to have the ability to change course is inherrant in our economic, political and education systems. It’s tough love and when one decides to be at the lead, he or she immediately accepts the responsibilities and are accountable for the end product. When there is a continuing issue that keeps rearing it’s ugly head, it needs to be addressed.
Real life. That’s what we want our children prepared for and to be able to handle with all the inequities and unfair events. I choose to make changes when it will have a positive effect on the end result.
Hopefully, this is the start of change….go Friars.
I don’t know that “The Game” will impact Coach Troy, but I do agree with every word after. I can still see Salerno running down the sideline and watching him pull up as the St. Paul safety missed the tackle at Anaheim Stadium. Go Friars. CREDO!
i can still see the scoreboard st.paul 41 servite 7 in the 81′ semi finals on st. pauls way to cif and state championship!!!!
I believe that if Servite can hold Blackwell….they have a very good chance of winning. Like Calhoun said, Blackwell was” the player” in the OLU game. He made the touchdowns. If they didn’t have Blackwell
they would not have been close to a win against OLU. Like Rollinson said in his interview, he will keep giving the ball to Blackwell. Is he a one man team? We will see on Friday. May the best team win!
Batten down the hatches one of the biggest rivalries in OC is coming to town AGAIN!! So very hard to pick so i wont anything can happen in these games and usually does …just dont miss Football fans cuz it will be Grrrreat!!!!!
Go Friars!!! CREDO
I think Falcon does not know what the big “M” on the Servite crest represents.
(It does not stand for “Mannywood”)
OK, this should be a great game. I am looking forward to it!
That’s correct Steve, as most faithful MD fans are ignorant of The Servants of Mary! Time for payback baby!
CREDO!
I hope it does not turn out to be another nail-biting or choking loss for Servite like it was 3 years ago at Angel Stadium, when Servite missed those 2 game-winning field goals.
Field Goals won’t be missed if Mr. Conner Loftus gets the assignment to kick……………..If we are going to win this game this is critical and the coach has to go for the field goal not like we did at the Edison game.
GO FRIARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s very daunting just to think how long the Streak is, how long it has been since the Friars have lost beaten the Monarchs.
My bad, spelling error, I meant “last beaten”, anyway, I really hope this is finally the year.
Let’s remember and revisit… Servite is not defined by winning football games, although it doesn’t hurt. Troy Thomas IS NOT in jeopardy of losing his job unless he does not support Formation or any of the Servite Programs. If you are a true Servite supporter you would know this, and stop with the “Servite better beat Mater Dei, or else”.
There is more at stake with this game for Mater Dei than Servite. If Servite continues to demonstrate success on and off the field, Student applications will continue to rise (versus falling at the other two schools), quality students, student/athletes and parents will all want to be part of Servite. And, Servite will continue to succeed.
Beating Mater Dei would be nice, but doesn’t matter in the total equation. With that said, there is no better opportunity than this year! If Servite performs at their level, MD will have a very tough time.
Well after 20 years of frustration and dissapointment, I don’t blame the Servite fans and alumni for so desperately wanting to finally beat MD and ending the streak.
Mattie, I appreciate your defense of Servite tradition, but trust me when I say, beating Mater Dei holds much credence to what any Friar football player believes and holds close to his chest, as any MD player does and the execution, based on effort ,will be the difference. Five years of opportunity (Thomas contract) is time enough. This frustration needs to end now. Accountability is part of all of our lives. Time again to man up…no excuses.
Credo.
I just hope the Friar’s do not committ any costly penalties or turn-overs, because for Servite, every play will count for them, for MD, only a few will count for them.
Mater Dei 29 Servite 27.
My kid played in this game for the last two years. I won’t tell you which team he was on. But I can tell you, that this is the biggest rivalry in OC, and maybe the state. It doesn’t get any better than this. May the best team win.
Mater Dei is alot better than their record indicates. Servite’s win over Inland Empire power Chaperal is bigger than folks realize. This is a great match-up with both teams having something to prove.
Prediction MD proves you can’t count them out, and Servite takes them too lightly.
MD 28- Servite 17
one great example would be the 2002 game when Servite was coming into the game undefeated, and Mater Dei won 24-7, after the game, Rollinson bit off the words “If your to challenge Mater Dei, you better be careful”.
As a Servite football alumnus, I have to say it is difficult being known as a member of one of the 20 teams that couldn’t top Mater Dei. Not that it really matters in the great scheme of things – at least for the guys in black, the game isn’t the highlight of our lives. We have all gone on to bigger and better things. But if you live in Orange County, and summer turns to fall, and the OC Reg is delivered to your doorstep – all it takes is a quick glance at the high school sports section to have that bad taste in your mouth return. Will this year’s Friar-team take down MD? I haven’t a clue – I haven’t really been following either team this season. But if the streak does end, I will tell you this. At least for me, the bad taste will disappear. With no more streak, we, the group of 20 senior classes, will no longer be seen as a group. We will simply be seen as another L on the win-loss list of history. So, I wish the Friars best of luck. May they play hard, play proud, and respect their opponent.