Corona Centennial Outlasts Mater Dei 28–27 in Instant Classic to Advance to CIF-SS Division 1 Final

Corona Centennial Outlasts Mater Dei 28–27 in Instant Classic to Advance to CIF-SS Division 1 Final

Blocked field goal in the final seconds sends the Huskies to the championship game

ANAHEIM, CA — HS Prep Sports Nation

In one of the wildest CIF-SS Division 1 semifinal games in recent memory, Corona Centennial stunned Mater Dei 28–27, surviving a last-second field-goal attempt to punch their ticket to the section championship.

The Huskies scored the go-ahead touchdown with 1:35 remaining, then blocked a 46-yard Mater Dei kick with nine seconds left, ending a game that featured five lead changes and a level of drama fit for prime time.

Centennial (11-1) now advances to face Santa Margarita in the Division 1 Championship at the Rose Bowl.

FIRST HALF: Mater Dei Starts Fast, Centennial Answers

Mater Dei came out swinging, building a 10–0 lead on a long opening drive capped by a 1-yard TD run, followed by a 26-yard field goal from Jerry Shifman.

But the Huskies never blinked.

A physical 3-yard TD run by Malaki Davis pulled Centennial within 10–7. Moments later, quarterback Dominick Catalano muscled his way across the goal line for a 4-yard score with 26 seconds left in the half — flipping the game in Centennial’s favor, 14–10.

SECOND HALF: Lead Changes, Big Plays, and Turning Points

Mater Dei Responds

The Monarchs regained momentum when Kayden Dixon-Wyatt hauled in a 43-yard touchdown bomb, putting Mater Dei up 16–14.

Centennial Fires Back

A jaw-dropping one-handed sideline grab by Ty Plinski set up Catalano’s second rushing TD of the night, giving the Huskies a 21–16 lead.

Mater Dei’s Fourth-Quarter Surge

Linebacker Shaun Scott forced and recovered a fumble early in the fourth, setting up a 7-yard touchdown pass from QB Ryan Hopkins to Chris Henry Jr. Mater Dei converted the two-point try, pushing ahead 27–21 with just over 10 minutes remaining.

For a moment, it felt like the Monarchs had seized control.

THE DRIVE: Centennial’s Championship DNA Shows Up Late

Down six with the season on the line, Centennial pieced together a 76-yard march in crunch time.

Catalano — calm, poised, and unfazed — delivered a perfect strike to Keawe Browne for a 24-yard touchdown with 1:35 left, giving the Huskies a 28–27 lead.

It wasn’t over yet.

Mater Dei executed a flawless two-play sequence to set up a 46-yard field-goal attempt. But Centennial’s special teams came up with the play of the night: senior Miles Schirmer burst through and blocked the kick, sending the Huskies into a frenzy.

Ball game. Huskies survive. Mater Dei stunned.

PLAYER OF THE GAME — Dominick Catalano (Centennial, QB)

290 passing yards, two passing TDs, two rushing TDsCatalano was sensational — delivering explosive plays, extending downs with his legs, and guiding the game-winning drive that will be remembered for a long time in Corona.

KEY STATS

Final Score: Centennial 28 — Mater Dei 27

Lead Changes: 5

Total Yards: Nearly even, slight edge to Mater Dei

Turnovers: Mater Dei 2 — Centennial 1

Game-winning drive: 76 yards in final 4 minutes

Postgame Quote

“We got it done,” Centennial coach Matt Logan said after the win. “They play their butts off.”

Short. Direct. Emotional. Perfectly capturing the grit of the win.

WHAT IT MEANS

For Corona Centennial

The Huskies head to the CIF-SS Division 1 Championship at the Rose Bowl, where they will face Santa Margarita — another team riding massive momentum after upsetting Sierra Canyon.

Centennial now stands one win away from a state Open Division berth.

For Mater Dei

This marks the first time in years the Monarchs will not represent Southern California in the state Open. A new era for the program begins with a rare semifinal exit.