St. John Bosco Powers Past Roman Catholic, 45-25
BELLFLOWER, Calif. — St. John Bosco bounced back from its season-opening loss with a dominant offensive performance, defeating Roman Catholic of Philadelphia 45-25 on Aug. 28 at Panish Family Stadium.
The matchup brought together two nationally recognized Catholic-school programs from opposite sides of the country. Roman Catholic traveled more than 2,700 miles from Philadelphia for its season opener, while St. John Bosco returned home looking to respond after a 38-28 loss at Bishop Gorman.
The two teams traded scores in the opening quarter, finishing the period tied at 7-7. From there, the Braves took complete control.
St. John Bosco erupted for 31 points in the second quarter, overwhelming Roman Catholic on the ground and turning a close game into a 38-7 halftime advantage.
Running back Maliq Allen delivered the biggest performance of the night. Allen rushed 23 times for 139 yards and three touchdowns, consistently finding space behind the Bosco offensive line. He also added a receiving touchdown, accounting for four scores in the victory.
Quarterback Koa Malau’ulu provided balance through the air, completing 8 of 13 passes for 68 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. His efficiency allowed Bosco to keep Roman Catholic’s defense from focusing entirely on the running game.
Roman Catholic showed resilience after halftime. The Cahillites scored six points in the third quarter and another 12 in the fourth, continuing to attack despite facing a significant deficit.
But the damage from Bosco’s second-quarter explosion was too much to overcome.
The Braves added another touchdown in the fourth quarter and closed out the 45-25 victory, earning their first win of the 2026 season.
For St. John Bosco, the performance was an important response following the opening-week defeat in Las Vegas. The Braves demonstrated the offensive depth that has made the program one of California’s perennial powers, with Allen’s four-touchdown night highlighting a physical rushing attack.
The victory also continued St. John Bosco’s strong run at Panish Family Stadium and provided momentum before another major nonleague test on the road against Pittsburg.
For Roman Catholic, the trip to Southern California offered an early opportunity to measure itself against one of the country’s premier programs. The Cahillites continued competing through the second half, but Bosco’s 31-point second quarter ultimately decided the night.
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