We Saw the No. 1 Football Team in the Nation (and they didn’t disappoint)

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Full Highlights of Mater Dei’s 21-18 Victory over Kahuku

We caught all the action up close and personal from the sidelines at Santa Ana Stadium as Mater Dei defeated Kahuku 21-18 in a nail-biting contest Friday night. Now 2-0, the Monarchs under second-year head coach Raul Lara have kept their foot on the gas as a national powerhouse in high school football. 

Watch the Full Behind-The-Scenes Action of the Mater Dei-Kahuku Matchup

@anwar_is_on_par

There’s nothing like Friday Night Light. Come with me behind the scenes to my first ever high school football game with Prep Network! I had to see Mater Dei (Calif.), the number one football team in the nation, host Kahuku high school from Hawaii. What a great night and an even better game! #materdei #highschoolfootball #kahuku #fyp #chrishenryjr @Mater Dei Athletics @Kahuku Red Raiders

♬ original sound – anwarstetson

Mater Dei is one of the most successful football programs of the past few generations. Coming off of back-to-back CIF state championships, the Monarchs are currently ranked by multiple outlets as the best high school football team in America.

Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks like Matt Leinart and Bryce Young got their start at Mater Dei, and dozens of professionals in all sports have worn the scarlet and grey. The Class of 2026 squad has a number of highly-ranked prospects who continued to shine against the Kahuku Red Raiders.

After the barn-burning victory against St. Thomas Aquinas to start the year, last Friday’s contest at Kahuku was more of a slow burn. The Mater Dei roster, led by senior quarterback Ryan Hopkins, favored a run-oriented offense against the Red Raiders.

Senior Malachi Roby, a transfer from Corona Centennial (Calif.), rushed for 57 yards on six carries, including the go-ahead touchdown with 2:27 left in regulation. Henry Jr. finished with four catches for 24 yards in the contest.  

Kahuku

Coming off a tough 38-0 loss to powerhouse Bishop Gorman, Kahuku fought hard on the road against Mater Dei. Though the Red Raiders don’t have as much hype as this year’s Monarchs squad, Kahuku boasts an illustrious program with nearly two-dozen NFL alumni.

Kahuku’s Troy Mariteragi had one passing touchdown to Rhino Aumua in the second quarter. The score was 8-7 Mater Dei at the half. The game opened up more in the second half. Mater Dei kicked two field goals to give the home team a 14-7 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Flying thousands of miles from Hawaii, Kahuku had a large and passionate visitor’s section. Running back Blake Alo had the longest play of the night with a 49-yard rush in the fourth quarter as the Red Raiders attempted a comeback.

That play led to a field goal that closed the gap to 14-10. However, a long and methodical drive from the Monarchs resulted in Roby’s game-sealing rushing touchdown late. The Red Raiders drove quickly back with a touchdown and two-point conversion of their own with less than a minute on the clock. But with time running out, Kahuku couldn’t secure a desperate onside-kick attempt. Mater Dei emerged victorious, 21-18.

What’s Next for the Monarchs

Looking ahead, the Monarchs head to Roby’s former school, Corona Centennial, on Friday. 

Mater Dei came into the battle with Kahuku off an unexpected bye week: opponent Bishop Montgomery (Calif.) forfeited their game on Aug. 30 after a booster scandal canceled their 2025 season. Because of the forfeit, the Monarchs will play one fewer game this season than expected, making every win and loss that much more important.

We’ll continue our coverage of high school football around the nation all season. 

Stream games on NFHS Network.