Sports

Controversial Overturned Touchdown Spoils No. 1 St. John Bosco’s Undefeated High School Football Season

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Mater Dei St. John Bosco High School Football Controversy Overturned Touchdown
iStockphoto / ESPN Los Angeles

Mater Dei and St. John Bosco not only two of the top high school football programs in the California, they are ranked as two of the top-10 programs in the United States this season. However, the top-ranked Braves saw their undefeated record fall at the hands of the Monarchs on Saturday.

Although one single play does not determine the final score of a four-quarter, 48-minute game, an overturned touchdown right before halftime ultimately proved to be the difference.

Those seven points would’ve changed the entire outcome of this high-stakes high school football matchup. Six points incorrectly came off of the board.

Mater Dei came back to beat St. John Bosco.

St. John Bosco entered the weekend ranked No. 1 in the country at 9-0. Mater Dei, the reigning state champions, ranked No. 7 in the country at 6-2.

Those standings are sure to flip in the coming days.

The Braves actually jumped out to a 14-point lead at halftime. However, the Monarchs rallied during the second half behind three turnovers from the defense and four touchdowns from Ohio State wide receiver commits Chris Henry Jr. and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt. They won by five, 36-31.

Everything went right for Mater Dei during the second half. St. John Bosco could not keep pace.

California high school football referees got it wrong.

Despite what the final score might say, the top-ranked team in the nation would’ve won the game by two points if a touchdown before halftime was not overturned. The officials made the wrong call.

Daniel Odom caught a pass in the end zone with three seconds left in the second quarter. It appeared to be a touchdown but the referee ruled he did not get a foot down.

Upon further review from a better angle, Odom absolutely got his right foot down in the end zone before his momentum took him out of bounds. The touchdown should’ve counted.

If St. John Bosco received proper credit for the touchdown, those six points flip the result. Mater Dei’s comeback would’ve fallen one point short— or two points short with an extra point.

A 36-31 win for the Monarchs becomes a 37-36 win for the Braves if the touchdown stands.