Trinity League vs. The U.S.A.
Release – St. John Bosco Athletic Department
Bellflower, CA
St. John Bosco High School, along with fellow Trinity League powers Mater Dei and JSerra, in conjunction with Prep Gridiron Logistics (PGL), is pleased to announce the scheduling of the first ever Trinity League vs. the USA. Showcase, to be held Friday, September 13 and Saturday, September 14, 2019 on the campus of St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, CA. This event will feature six teams from California, Maryland and Georgia, and will be played at the newly constructed Panish Family Stadium. These national matchups will showcase elite high school athletes from some of the most powerful high school football programs across America.
St. John Bosco Head Coach Jason Negro remarked, “On behalf of the three Trinity League teams participating, we are ecstatic to produce the type of event that will bring national attention to the quality of football played in Southern California. The Trinity League prides itself in being the best high school football league in the country, and participating in an event like this is what our school communities, fan bases, parents and players aspire to be a part of.”
THE MATCHUPS
The first matchup will be held on Friday, September 13 at 7:00 PM, and will feature the St. John Bosco Braves facing off against the Falcons from Our Lady of Good Counsel from Olney, Maryland. St. John Bosco is coached by Jason Negro, and finished the 2018 campaign with a 13-1 record and ranked No. 2 nationally by MaxPreps. The Braves are led by standout senior QB DJ Uiagalelei and defensive senior stars DL Kobe Pepe and LB Kourt Williams. St. John Bosco won California Open Division State Championships in 2013 and 2016. Our Lady of Good Counsel is coached by Andy Stefanelli, and his Falcons finished ranked No. 5 in the state of Maryland and have won four State Championships in 10 appearances. Offensively the Falcons are led by junior OT Landon Tengwall and defensively by senior LB Mitchell Melton.
The opening game of the second day of the showcase features the JSerra Lions of San Juan Capistrano, CA versus the Milton Eagles of Milton, Georgia. This matchup will be played on Saturday, September 14, 2019 at 4:00 PM. JSerra, coached by Pat Harlow, finished the 2018 season as the third place team out of the Trinity League, and was ranked No. 5 in the state of California. The Lions are led offensively by senior RB Chris Street and defensively by junior DB Zamajay Duncan. The Milton Eagles are led by head coach Adam Clack. Milton finished the 2018 season with a 13-2 record defeating Colquitt County, GA 14-13 in the Georgia 7A State Championship Game. This landed the Eagles as the No. 2 ranked team in Georgia in the final polls. Returning standouts for the Eagles will be senior OL/DL Paul Tchio and senior ATH Jack Rhodes.
The final game of this elite national showcase features two national powerhouses from California and Maryland. The game will be played on Saturday, September 14, 2019, at 7:30 PM. The two-time defending National Champion Mater Dei Monarchs of Santa Ana, CA will face off against the Panthers of St. Frances Academy from Baltimore, Maryland. The Monarchs finished the season with a 13-2 record defeating the De La Salle Spartans in the California State Open Division Championship Game for the second consecutive season. Mater Dei was named USA Today.
National Champions in 2017 and 2018. At the helm for the Monarchs is Bruce Rollinson. On offense the Monarchs will be led by senior QB Bryce Young and on defense by senior CB Elias Ricks. On the other side of the ball will be the Panthers from St. Frances Academy led by their head coach Henry Russell. The Panthers completed the 2018 season with a perfect 10-0 record and a final ranking of No. 5 nationally by MaxPreps. St. Frances Academy are a three-time MIAA A Conference Champions. Offensively the Panthers are led by senior QB John Griffith and defensively by senior DE Chris Braswell.
Host school St. John Bosco, along with league counterparts Mater Dei and JSerra, are excited to bring this national showcase to California in 2019. The Trinity League vs. The U.S.A. is an unique event that will pit the best California has to offer against some of the best high school football programs across America.
Our three Trinity League schools would like to thank Prep Gridiron Logistics (PGL) and our three opponents, Our Lady of Good Counsel, Milton, and St. Frances Academy for rising to the challenge and traveling to beautiful southern California. Thank you to the CIF-SS and CIF-State offices for their support of this event as well as the state associations in Georgia and Maryland.
Photo credit: St. John Bosco High School