Taking a look at the best games of Week 2:

No. 8 Mater Dei (1-1) vs. Centennial of Corona (1-0)
Friday, 7:30 p.m., at Santa Ana Stadium

Outlook: On your mark, get set, go … That’s pretty much been the way the first two meetings in the series have gone.

Mater Dei races scores on an 80-yard play, then Centennial responds and back and forth, until finally, after all of the dust has been settled and all of the reporters have passed out , the final scores have read 51-37 (Mater Dei victory) and 47-35 (Centennial victory).

Is there any chance we could be headed for another shootout?

Probably not, considering Mater Dei’s offense has scored 21 points in its first two games.

However, more importantly, the defense has only allowed 30 points in two games, instead of the usual 30 by the third quarter as seemed to be the case last season.

Will the Monarchs defense be able to slow the Huskies?

Offensively, it looks as if Max Wittek has moved the front of the line in the Mater Dei QB search. The junior completed 14 of 27 passes for 187 yards last week against Cypress and sealed the victory with a 45-yard run.

Senior running back Jordan Allen rushed for 146 yards.

One area of concern for the Monarchs is special teams. Cypress’ Akeelie Muhammad returned kicks for 93 and 98 yards for touchdowns.

Are we headed for another shootout? Or will the Monarch ground game and defense be able to keep the Huskies from running wild?

RELATED:

Thursday: No. 3 Edison vs. No. 14 Dana Hills

Thursday: No. 10 La Habra vs. South Hills of West Covina

Friday: No. 13 Trabuco Hills vs. No. 6 San Clemente

Friday: No. 1 Servite vs. Crespi of Encino

Friday: No. 4 Orange Lutheran vs. No. 9 Tustin

MATER DEI VS. CENTENNIAL OF CORONA
AT SANTA ANA STADIUM

One of the crazier games of 2007 happened when these two met last year. Mater Dei 51, Centennial 37. There were a season's worth of big plays, and everybody went home emotionally exhausted. Centennial went on to win the CIF-Southern Section Inland Division championship, and averaged 55 points a game in the playoffs. The Huskies are ranked No. 1 in the Inland Division, and Mater Dei is No. 4 in the Pac-5 and No. 1 in our county preseason rankings. Centennial has linebacker Vontaze Burfict, one of the top defensive players in the state. Graduation took some key offensive players, but the addition of quarterback Taylor Martinez, a transfer from Cajon, should help make the Huskies offensively formidable again. When you think of quarterbacks, of course one's mind turns to Mater Dei's Matt Barkley who won just about every conceivable football award as a junior last year, and he is going to be better this year. This actually is Centennial's home game, but Huskies coach Matt Logan realized that no location in the Corona area could house the large crowd this one will draw. Kudos to Logan for doing what's best for the many fans who will see this game, and who will be thoroughly entertained by what they see.

Next: Week 3