SANTA ANA — After one play, the season could go nowhere but up for Mater Dei sophomore running back Asir Nembhard.
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He lost a fumble at the end of a 44-yard run on the first play from scrimmage against American Fork (Utah), but he would bounce back to finish with 115 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the 31-11 victory at Santa Ana Stadium.
“That was just a rookie mistake,” Nembhard said. “I was just in my head about it, but I had to overcome that. It did take me a little minute, but it’s football at the end of the day.”
Nembhard was one of four sophomores in the starting lineup on offense for the Monarchs, along with freshman slot receiver Tristan Brown.
Nembhard’s backup, Mark Allen Jr., is also a sophomore. He contributed 74 rushing yards on 11 carries and scored a touchdown after also losing a fumble at the goal line on the second series of the game.
“These are the things that we’ve just got to stay focused and just get better each week and that’s something we’ve been harping,” Mater Dei coach Raul Lara said. “I know Azir and Mark are going to be great running backs, especially with the line that they have in front of them.”
Mater Dei also flashed its new quarterback tandem of senior Cameron Pooley and junior Russell Sekona, both transfers, and freshman Paytyn Guess also completed a pass in a fourth-and-1 situation late in the third quarter when Mater Dei’s lead was just 17-11.
Guess had punted from the same formation earlier in the game.
“I thought they were pretty solid,” Lara said of Pooley and Sekona. “They executed the offense very well and we got some things done.”
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Pooley, who ended last season as a backup at Chaminade, completed 8 of 12 passes for 56 yards and an interception.
Sekona, who transferred from Luezinger, completed just 2 of 5 passes, but one went for 44 yards to Jaylen Grier, setting up the second touchdown for Mater Dei, and the other went for a 72-yard touchdown to Grier that stretched the lead to 31-11 with 9:13 left in the game.
“Just seeing these two guys work together and help each other, is a remarkable thing,” Lara said.
Mater Dei’s defense put the first points on the board when Matamatagi Uiagalelei and Viliami Sisifa combined to sack Jake Matsen in the end zone for a safety.
“Our defense, we always try to put up points, no matter what,” said Mater Dei senior linebacker Ezekiel Su’a. “We always try to push to be the best defense in the nation every year.”
The Monarchs then scored on the ensuing possession on a 22-yard touchdown run by Allen for a 10-0 lead with 5:28 left in the first half.
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