Angelus League : Coston’s Late Field Goal Gives Mater Dei 17-14 Win

Gary Coston’s 47-yard field goal with 1:46 left gave Mater Dei High School a 17-14 win over St. Paul in the Angelus League opener for both teams Friday night.

Mater Dei entered the game with a 3-2 record, but played much better than that might indicate in this game.

Sophomore quarterback Todd Marinovich hit 17 of 28 passes for 161 yards while running backs Paul Cardenas and Matt Spencer had 65 and 62 yards, respectively. But it was the Monarch defense that finally ended an emotional game.

After Coston’s field goal, St. Paul (5-1) took over at its 20 and, behind the passing of quarterback John Scott, had a fourth-and-10 play at the Mater Dei 43. But Scott (18 of 45 for 259 yards, a second-quarter touchdown to Frank Mazzotta and three interceptions) was intercepted by Paul Padova with 51 seconds remaining.

Mater Dei scored first with 6:18 left in the opening quarter when Marinovich connected with Tony Rocco cutting over the middle for a nine-yard touchdown pass. St. Paul tied the game when Mondo Costello scored from three yards out with 6:57 remaining in the first half, the only time the Swordsmen got beyond midfield in the half.

But the Monarchs came right back on the next series to make it 14-7 on a Cardenas touchdown. That’s the way it stayed until 2:41 remained in the game, when Scott hit a sliding Mazzotta across the middle to tie the game, and set the stage for Coston.