CHULA VISTACHULA VISTA — It took just five minutes for Madison High to get total control of the game. They never let it go.
In the first five minutes of the Division I first round contest, the ninth-seeded Warhawks rushed out to a 14-0 lead and never looked back to post a dominating 27-0 shutout of host eighth-seeded Mater Dei Catholic Friday night.
“I feel like everyone was overlooking us,” said senior running back Jaylon Brown, who rushed for 150 yards on 10 carries and two TDs. “I have to it I expected to win, but I didn’t expect it by so much.”
Madison (5-6) couldn’t have asked for a better start, on both sides of the ball.
First, the Warhawks defense set the early pace; proving the Crusaders couldn’t block them up front and forced a quick three-and-out.
Taking over at their own 12, Brown swept around the left side and raced 88 yards up the Mater Dei sideline for the TD just 1:45 into the game.
“I saw everyone crash, the defensive end and the linebackers so I just bounced it outside,” explained Brown. “There was no one out there and I just took off.”
Another three and out forced Mater Dei to again punt. Ricky Osuna had trouble with the snap and was tackled at his own 13.
Three plays later, Brown went in from the 8 for his second TD with 7:00 left in the quarter, silencing the home crowd.
“We just didn’t come out of the locker room to play,” said Mater Dei Catholic head coach John Joyner. “They’re Madison, that’s their style of play. We could do nothing right and it was due to them.”
Madison would up the lead to 20-0 with 1:11 to play in the half when James Tivao went in from the 3.
In the half the Madison defense held the Crusaders to a minus-24 yards rushing on 18 carries. It only got worse from there for Mater Dei.
With Tadori Davis, Theanniu Saulo and Tivao regularly slicing through the Crusaders’ offensive line, quarterback Karell Purvis had no where to go. On the night the Warhawk defense held Mater Dei to a minus-45 yards in rushing.
“We just played our assignments, beat the man in front of you,” said Tivao, a linebacker on defense. “We studied them a lot. You knew who was going to pull and where they were going. We just did out jobs.”
On the offensive side, Tivao, a senior, would later add his second TD on the night when he scored from the 17 with 10:17 left in the game. He finished with 64 yards on seven carries.
Overall, the Warhawks racked up 266 yards on 34 carries.
There were only two ball carries with positive yardage for the Crusaders (6-4). San Diego State-bound Anthony McMillian Jr. carried eight times for five yards and Jordan Jackson was held to two yards on five carries.
Mater Dei’s best chance to score came late in the first half when Purvis completed es of 30 and 40 yards to Isaiah Buxton and Larell Parker to take the Crusaders to the Madison 6. But the opportunity stalled when Purvis threw an illegal after crossing the line on fourth-and-goal.
Madison advances to face top-seeded Torrey Pines in next week’s quarterfinal.
Farmer is a freelance writer.
First Round
At Mater Dei Catholic High
Madison 27, Mater Dei Catholic 0
Madison 14 6 0 7 — 27
Mater Dei Catholic 0 0 0 0 — 0
M — Brown 88 run (Aiken kick)
M — Brown 8 run (Aiken kick)
M — Tivao 3 run (kick failed)
M — Tivao 17 run (Aiken kick)
