Top-25 roundup: St. John Bosco loses in low-scoring overtime game in Florida

No high school football team in California has been able to neutralize the powerful Bellflower St. John Bosco offense in recent years. The Braves finally found their match during a trip to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Friday night to face national power St. Thomas Aquinas.

With a defensive line that was relentless and an all-star secondary, Aquinas fought the Braves to a 3-3 deadlock at the end of regulation and then won it in overtime on quarterback Curt Casteel’s one-yard touchdown run to come away with a 9-3 victory.

“They’re three-time state champs and it was one of the best defensive units we’ve ever played,” St. John Bosco coach Jason Negro said. “We didn’t help ourselves.”

The Braves received an impressive performance from their defensive unit, but two missed field goals proved costly, along with penalties that stalled drives. St. John Bosco quarterback Re-al Mitchell had three passes intercepted.

JSerra rolls

San Juan Capistrano JSerra made a successful debut under new coach Pat Harlow, defeating Newport Beach Corona del Mar, 45-27.

Quarterback Matt Robinson stood out. Robinson, who committed to Montana, completed 19 of 30 passes for 340 yards and two touchdowns.

Robinson hit junior Munir McClain for a 66-yard touchdown, helping put JSerra ahead 21-13. McClain and his older brother, Abdul-Malik, a senior committed to UCLA, transferred in from Santa Margarita. Munir finished with 91 yards receiving, and Abdul-Malik had 1 1/2 sacks.

A look at how the top-25 teams in the Southland fared Friday night:

Rk. School (W-L) Result | Next game

1. St. John Bosco (0-1) lost to Fort Lauderdale Aquinas 9-3 (OT) | Bakersfield Garces, at Mission Viejo, Sept. 2

2. Mater Dei (1-0) def. Bishop Amat 31-7 | vs. Las Vegas Bishop Gorman, Friday

3. Corona Centennial (1-0) def. Pittsburg 63-21 | vs. IMG Academy, at S.D. Cathedral, Sept. 2

4. Mission Viejo (1-0) did not play | vs. Vista Murrieta, Friday

5. Murrieta Valley (0-1) lost to Corona Santiago 30-28 | at Redlands, Friday

6. Rancho Cucamonga (1-0) def. Chaparral 49-14 | at Norco, Friday

7. Gardena Serra (0-1) lost to Narbonne 17-14 | vs. Honolulu Punahou, at S.D. Cathedral, Sept. 2.

8. Chaminade (1-0) def. Oaks Christian 47-10 | Phoenix Mountain Point, at Mission Viejo, Thursday

9. Long Beach Poly (1-0) def. Los Alamitos 28-10 | at Narbonne, Friday

10. JSerra (1-0) def. Corona del Mar 45-27 | vs. Alemany, Friday

11. Upland (1-0) def. La Habra 35-7 | vs. Claremont, Friday

12. Narbonne (1-0) def. Gardena Serra 17-14 | vs. Long Beach Poly, Friday

13. Bishop Amat (0-1) lost to Mater Dei 31-7 | at Wilmette (Ill.) Loyola Academy, Friday

14. Eastvale Roosevelt (0-0) did not play | at Eisenhower, Friday

15. Servite (1-0) def. Norco 35-21 | vs. American Fork (Utah), at Mission Viejo, Friday

16. Valencia (0-0) did not play | at Palmdale, Friday

17. Edison (1-0) def. Tesoro 48-47 | vs. Oaks Christian, at Huntington Beach, Friday

18. San Clemente (1-0) def. Oceanside 28-18 | vs. Huntington Beach, Friday

19. Norco (0-1) lost to Servite 35-21 | vs. Rancho Cucamonga, Friday

20. Orange Lutheran (1-0) def. La Mirada 35-0 | at San Diego Cathedral, Friday

21. Oaks Christian (0-1) lost to Chaminade 47-10 | at Edison, Friday

22. Sierra Canyon (0-1) lost to Westlake 25-7 | vs. Buena, at Granada Hills, Friday

23. Paraclete (1-0) def. Serrano 48-24 | vs. La Mesa Helix, at S.D. Cathedral, Sept. 2

24. Cathedral (1-0) def. Santa Fe 27-3 | at Arcadia, Friday

25. Calabasas (1-0) def. Dorsey 35-12 (Thur.) | at Salesian, Friday

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