Mater Dei vs. Bishop Gorman? Frank McManus says, 'We're ready to roll' (video)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - It didn't take long for Mater Dei's first-year football coach Frank McManus to settle into his championship glory Friday night.
Just minutes after the clock hit zeros at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum, beating St. John Bosco 35-7 in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 title game, McManus was already thinking about the next opponent.
And it's not San Mateo Serra, which is the last opponent left on Mater Dei's schedule in two weeks when the two clash for the CIF State Open Division crown on Saturday, Dec. 9 at Saddleback College.
"We're excited about playing two weeks from now (for the state title), and to be honest, we're ready to take on (Bishop) Gorman in an exhibition game," McManus boomed into the microphone from the championship stage.
"We'll lace 'em up and play anyone, anywhere with this team. ... We're ready to roll!"
It's a clash all high school sports fans have been wanting for weeks. Mater Dei, now the Division 1 Southern Section champs at 12-1, versus unbeaten Nevada state champions, Bishop Gorman (12-0).
Gorman defeated Liberty 56-11 in the Class 5A Division I state final on November 21 at Allegiant Stadium.
Bishop Gorman played two SoCal teams this season, beating Long Beach Poly 60-15 and Corona Centennial 56-28. Gorman outscored its opponents 596-185 this season.
CAN IT HAPPEN?
The short answer is no.
Once the CIF calendar for a sport concludes, a high school cannot compete out of season. The last allowable contest for Southern Section teams is Oct. 27 (the final day of the regular season). The final day of the postseason is Dec. 9.
However ... the key word McManus used was 'exhibition'.
In theory, if Mater Dei were to compete separate from the school similar to how high school basketball teams compete under different names in the fall, the two could play against each other.
It's a long shot, and very unlikely to happen.
