The Braves have now won 16 consecutive games against teams from other states, and their next match will be against St. Thomas Aquinas.
The current high school football national champions, St. John Bosco from Bellflower, California, started their 2023 season on Friday with a 42-22 victory against Liberty from Henderson, Nevada. This win extended the Braves’ streak of wins against teams from outside their state to 16 games.
St. John Bosco’s most recent loss against a team from another state happened in August 2017 against St. Thomas Aquinas from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.Interestingly, they are scheduled to play against St. Thomas Aquinas once more next Saturday in Florida.
Running back Chauncey Sylvester scored the first touchdown for St. John Bosco on Friday night with an 11-yard run in the opening quarter.
However, a touchdown run by Isaiah Lauofo and a safety allowed Liberty to take a 10-7 lead. This unexpected turn of events raised hopes for an upset, especially considering Liberty’s past success as the Nevada state champions in 2019.
Yet, in the second quarter, St. John Bosco swiftly regained control.Senior quarterback Caleb Sanchez threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Daniel Odom. Later, he also connected with Owen Tomich for another touchdown from 19 yards.
With less than a minute remaining in the first half, Cameron Jones, who is bound for UCLA as a running back, sealed Liberty’s fate with a two-yard touchdown run. This extended Bosco’s lead to 28-10.
During the second half, Sanchez threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Tommy Maher, marking his third touchdown of the night. This impressive performance came in his first start for arguably the top high school football program in the nation.
In the later stages of the fourth quarter, Bosco’s backup players added what appeared to be the final points of the game. Sophomore quarterback Matai Fuiava connected with classmate Christian Davis for a 14-yard touchdown pass.
However, Liberty’s Yasir Moses turned the following kickoff into a 97-yard touchdown return, providing a positive ending for the visiting team from Nevada.
St. John Bosco (1-0) was ranked as the third-best team in the nation in the Preseason MaxPreps Top 25. This ranking came after their successful 13-1 season in 2022, during which they secured section, state, and national championships.Under the leadership of coach Jason Negro, the Braves have an impressive record of 120 victories and only 14 losses since 2013.
Liberty (0-1) will continue their challenging non-league schedule by hosting St. Louis (Honolulu), a perennial powerhouse from Hawaii.
