If you were to scour the country for the biggest 2022 early-season high school football matchup, odds are you wouldn’t find a better one – on paper, at least – than what will take place in Las Vegas, NV. Two of the country’s best teams, national powerhouses Bishop Gorman and Mater Dei, will collide this Friday night in what is truly a must-see matchup.
Bishop Gorman opened its season last Friday with a win over Corner Canyon. This was not just any ordinary win for the Gaels – they dominated one of Utah’s top teams 42-7, setting the stage for what is a massive showdown with Mater Dei.
Leading the way for Bishop Gorman is arguably the nation’s top wide receiver, five-star Zachariah Branch, as well as a deep secondary featuring names such as Justyn Rhett, Kodi Decambra, Jeremiah Hughes, and Jeremiah Vessel. The Gaels aren’t lacking for talent elsewhere either, as names such as Zak Yamauchi, Will Stallings, Trech Kekahuna, and Palaie Faoa are also among the top players in Nevada.
As for Mater Dei, the Monarchs also began the season with an impressive win last Friday night as they shut out West (UT) 42-0. Not only did they play stout defense, they also displayed a powerful passing game led by junior quarterback Elijah Brown, who threw for five touchdowns in the contest.
The Monarchs’ 2022 roster also includes one of California’s top senior linebackers in Leviticus Su’a, as well as many of the state’s top 2024 prospects. Leading this group is Brown at quarterback, alongside others such as Aydin Breland, Brandon Baker, DeAndre Carter, and Zabien Brown.
This game has potential to be a high-scoring affair. Even if it’s not, these two teams stack up almost evenly talent-wise, so it should be close regardless.
As for who will win, I’ll say that Bishop Gorman picks up a massive early-season win over the Monarchs, in part due to a big game from Branch.
Prediction: Bishop Gorman 28, Mater Dei 24
