There are challenges when you’re the premier high school football program in the section.
Like finding games.
Cathedral Catholic High School couldn’t land an opening day opponent, so the Dons didn’t play their first game until Week 2 on Friday night, at home, against Orange Lutheran.
The reigning Open Division champions kicked off the season in sartorial splendor with a Salute to the Service. The Dons wore uniforms donated by the National Guard. The pants were black, the jerseys camouflage. The jerseys read “National Guard” across the back, “California” across the front.
The Dons’ traditional red helmets featured red, white and blue stickers.
As Cathedral Catholic and Orange Lutheran warmed up, players and spectators were treated to a five-man drum and percussion band, Hiva Katoa.
Banners on the Cathedral sideline saluted the military, one reading “Land of the Free.”
Orange Lutheran outscored Cathedral by 18 points in the second half and beat San Diego’s top-ranked team 38-24.
No sitting for Fa’alave-Johnson
Cathedral Catholic’s Honor Fa’alave-Johnson is the reigning CIF San Diego Section Offensive Player of the Year. MaxPreps.com ranks him as the best player in California. He’s committed to USC, although other schools, particularly Texas, are still wooing him.
Two nights before the Dons’ opener, Fa’alave-Johnson said he considered not playing his senior season. With NIL money one report lists at $2.4 million, he said “outside people” suggested he take a year off to protect his body. He identified “outside people” as “USC staff.”
As to why he decided to play, Fa’alave-Johnson, sporting a USC polo, said, “It’s really just in me, to be honest. I’d hate the feeling of giving up on my team. I just go play with them.”
On to football
Asked if reports of $2.4 million in NIL money are accurate, Fa’alave-Johnson smiled and said, “I’m not sure I can really say.” Teammates and coaches say that despite his notoriety, Fa’alave-Johnson remains humble.
“He doesn’t talk about his money. He doesn’t talk about (scholarship) offers,” said All-CIF lineman Asofa Lauifi.
Said Fa’alave-Johnson: “I’m in high school football mode right now. It’s time to prioritize being a good captain, being a good leader.”
Remembering Ralph
On Monday, Dons head coach Sean Doyle spoke at a Celebration of Life for longtime head football coach Jerry Ralph. Ralph, 64, died in May,
Ralph and Doyle graduated from Cathedral’s predecessor, University High, in 1980. Ralph coached at five local high schools, winning two section titles at St. Augustine. Late in his career, he was an assistant under Doyle at Cathedral.
Ralph was considered an offensive guru and quarterback whisperer. “He liked pizzazz,” said Doyle.
But what Doyle most remembered about his friend was the impact he had on students. He recalled Ralph coaching a player at Hoover who loved football but wasn’t serious about academics. Ralph told the kid to hit the books.
Today, the former Cardinal is a practicing lawyer.
Do you remember?
The last time Cathedral Catholic and Orange Lutheran played came in the 2021 Division 1-AA Southern California Regional playoffs. Cathedral won 71-62.
Cathedral Catholic’s Lucky Sutton carried 27 times for 435 yards and scored six rushing touchdowns. He also caught a 6-yard TD pass. Sutton’s rushing touchdowns measured 62, 45, 63, 75, 74 and 1 yard. The 63-, 75- and 74-yard touchdowns came on consecutive carries.
Sutton is now a starting running back at San Diego State.
Use as needed
Fa’alave-Johnson’s running back usage a year ago was fascinating. In the Dons’ first eight games (he missed one with a concussion), he carried the ball 41 times, less than six per game, for 485 yards. As the competition toughened, Doyle put the ball in No. 9’s hands more often.
In the last five games he played at running back, Fa’alave-Johnson carried 109 times, almost 22 per game, for 1,047 yards.
Which begs the question: How much will Fa’alave-Johnson he carry the ball in 2026?
“He will play a lot of downs these first two games,” said Doyle, pointing out that Orange Lutheran and Chandler (Ariz.) are very good teams. “After that, he will play as many downs as we need to win the game.”
Driver wanted
Fa’alave-Johnson’s endorsements include Adidas and Kia. The Kia deal includes a car, which he can’t drive right now because he failed his driver’s test.
“I wasn’t looking at the bike lanes, and I wasn’t looking in my mirrors,” he said. “I thought I was doing a good job, but I guess not.”
After Fa’alave-Johnson admitted on TV that he’d failed his test, someone responded to him on social media, saying, “Not a normal kid but a normal kid.”
“People put me on this high pedestal and think I’m better than other kids,” he said. “In reality, I’m failing tests like everyone else.”
Tackling palm trees
Fa’alave-Johnson said his father began training him when he was 4. Among the drills he’d do, with pads on, was simulating tackling form against palm trees. And he’d sprint up a steep sand hill outside his backyard.
It helped, too, that he was pushed by his brother, Humble, who’s three years older.
“We’d fight, and it was usually me who was crying,” Honor said. “We were brought up on tough love. After fighting, my dad made us hug it out.”
Orange Lutheran royalty
Any All-Name Team would have to include two Orange Lutheran players, twins Anhor (pronounced Honor) The Great Johnson and King Rich Johnson.
Food review
Opted for kettle corn. Sweet and yummy, although we’ll be picking our teeth ’til Halloween. Four belches on the five-belch meter.