St. John Bosco rolls past Servite, 70-6

The opening week of Trinity League football action wasn’t as anticipated as usual because many are looking forward to the Week 3 showdown between the Southland’s two best teams, Mater Dei and St. John Bosco.

But until that Oct. 21 date arrives, there are other games to be played and touchdowns to be scored. No. 2 St. John Bosco proved that early and often Friday night against No. 15 Servite in a Trinity League opener at Cerritos College.

The Braves scored touchdowns on an interception, a blocked punt and fumble returns. That led to a well-rounded and dominant 70-6 victory over the Friars.

“It’s great to see all facets of the game firing the way they did tonight,” Braves Coach Jason Negro said. “When you play that well in all three phases, it means you’re playing hard.”

St. John Bosco (5-1, 1-0), which extended its Trinity League winning streak to 22 games, wasted little time finding the end zone as Demetrius Flowers capped a five-play, 60-yard opening drive with a three-yard touchdown run.

And before Servite could blink, Malik Street intercepted a tipped Tyler Lytle pass on the Friars’ first possession, returning it 39 yards for a touchdown. That gave St. John Bosco a 14-0 lead less than four minutes into the game.

Asa Fuller made a 48-yeard field goal for Servite (3-3, 0-1) midway through the first quarter, but Braves quarterback Re-al Mitchell tossed the first of his three touchdown passes with a 31-yard strike to Jovohn Tucker.

Cross Poyer’s punt block, scoop and score from 18 yards and Adrian Ochoa’s 12-yard touchdown run capped a 49-3 first-half drubbing by the Braves.

“I feel like we’ve been catching our stride the last three games,” said Mitchell, who finished with 234 total yards and four touchdowns. “Our confidence level is rising.”

St. John Bosco hosts Santa Margarita next Friday before it gets its shot at top-ranked Mater Dei.