The top-ranked high school football team in the U.S. stayed on course Oct. 13 by outlasting the top-ranked high school football team in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Mater Dei’s 31-21 victory over St. John Bosco at El Camino College was, as expected, the Monarchs’ toughest game of the season, with the two Trinity League powers battling for the inside track to the league title and, in all likelihood, the state championship game in December.

Amon-Ra St. Brown scored three touchdowns for Mater Dei, two on receptions from J.T. Daniels and one on a 51-yard punt return. He caught eight passes for 238 yards, while Daniels threw for 312 yards and ran for 108 more.

St. John Bosco was led by sophomore quarterback DJ Uigalelei, who threw for 243 yards and touchdown passes of 85 and 73 yards in a wild first half that ended with Mater Dei ahead 28-21. A lone Monarch field goal accounted for the second half scoring as defenses tightened.

Mater Dei, rated No. 1 in MaxPreps’ “Xcellent 25” poll since the start of the season, now stands 7-0 overall and 2-0 in league,. On Oct. 20, the Monarchs host J.Serra in a battle of unbeatens after the Lions (7-0 overall, 2-0 in league) dispatched Orange Lutheran, 52-21.

St. John Bosco, meanwhile, hosts Santa Margarita, matching teams with identical records (5-2 overall, 1-1 in league), following the Eagles’ 51-21 win over Servite. The Friars (5-2 in league, 5-2 overall) take on Orange Lutheran.

Other league action

In the Mission League, Chaminade and Bishop Amat have emerged on top after four weeks of action, both 3-0. The Eagles (6-1 overall) took down Loyola, 37-14, while the Lancers raced past Crespi, 56-24. Serra doubled up on Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks), 44-22, and is 3-1 in league play, followed by idle Alemany (1-2), Loyola and Notre Dame (1-3), and Crespi (0-3).

This week’s action features Alemany at Chaminade, Loyola at Crespi, and Bishop Amat at Serra. Notre Dame is idle.

In the Angelus League, unbeaten St. Francis (7-0) defeated La Salle, 49-16; Cathedral beat St. Paul, 24-7; and Harvard-Westlake upended Salesian, 47-7. St. Francis and Cathedral share the league lead (2-0), followed by La Salle and Harvard-Westlake (1-1), and St. Paul and Salesian (0-2). The Oct. 20 lineup includes St. Francis at Salesian, La Salle at Cathedral, and Harvard-Westlake at St. Paul.

St. Joseph (Santa Maria) beat Pioneer Valley, 49-7 for a Los Padres League win; Upland defeated Damien, 49-8 (Baseline League); Villanova outscored Cate, 55-50 (Mt. Pinos League); and Hillcrest beat Bellarmine-Jefferson, 53-24 (Omega League).

In non-league play: Mary Star 37, Verbum Dei, 19; St. Anthony 50, Bishop Montgomery 7; St. Genevieve 49, Cantwell-Sacred Heart 0; St. Bernard 43, St. Monica 6; Silver Valley 51, St. Pius X-St. Matthias 18; Rio Hondo Prep 29, Santa Clara 0.

Upcoming

This week’s league games (Oct. 20 except where noted) include:

South Catholic: St. Bernard at Bishop Montgomery; Cantwell-Sacred Heart at Don Bosco Tech.

Sante Fe: Mary Star vs. St. Monica; St. Anthony vs. St. Genevieve (Oct. 21).

Marmonte: Westlake at St. Bonaventure.

Tri-Valley: Bishop Diego vs. Santa Paula.

Frontier: Fillmore at Santa Clara.

Baseline: Damien at Los Osos.

Mt. Pinos: Villanova at Thacher (Oct. 21)

Non-League: Carnegie (Riverside) at Verbum Dei (Oct. 21).