PREP EXTRA : Scenes From a Fall Friday Night

It’s only mid-September, but there was a playoff-type atmosphere surrounding the football showdown between second-ranked Mater Dei and third-ranked Esperanza at the Valencia High School stadium.

Friday, a standing-room-only crowd of more than 5,000 jammed the stadium. Some Mater Dei fans couldn’t find a seat, so they stood and cheered for the Monarchs behind a fence in the end zone.

And it didn’t take the Monarchs long to visit those fans in the southern end zone. On their opening drive, quarterback John Flynn moved the Monarchs 80 yards in six plays, and fullback Joey Trampush scored the game’s first touchdown on a one-yard run 2 minutes 17 seconds into the game.

The Monarchs, who rushed for 291 yards, almost turned the game into a laugher. They scored the first 17 points before taking a 24-7 lead at halftime.

“Our offensive line won the game,” Mater Dei Coach Bruce Rollinson said. “I thought we dominated the first half.”

Last year, Esperanza dominated Mater Dei, shocking the top-ranked Monarchs, 33-7, at Santa Ana Stadium in front of 7,000.

Many Aztec fans were hoping for a repeat performance, and they saw a glimmer of hope in a hard-hitting second half.

Esperanza running back Dahrin Footman rushed for one touchdown and quarterback Chris Stretch threw two touchdown passes to Brian Forth. The Aztecs cut the lead to 31-28 with 2:46 remaining.

But after Mater Dei recovered an onside kick, running back Steve Bodnar iced the 38-28 victory by scoring the final touchdown with 41 seconds remaining.

The weary face of Esperanza defensive lineman Sean Jarne (inset) reflected the Aztecs’ disappointment.

“Those were two good teams,” Esperanza Coach Gary Meek said. “We just came out on the short end tonight.”