Football: Serra adds Southern California powerhouse St. John Bosco to next year’s schedule

Serra, which will lose many players from this year’s team to graduation, has loaded up its non-league schedule in 2024

Serra isn’t going to wait until the Open Division state championship game next season to take another shot at one of Southern California’s two superpowers.

The San Mateo powerhouse announced on social media nine days before playing Mater Dei-Santa Ana for this year’s Open state title that it will host St. John Bosco-Bellflower on Sept. 14 to close out next year’s non-league schedule.

The Padres will begin the season at Folsom on Aug. 30 and travel to De La Salle on Sept. 6 before facing the Southern California team that defeated Serra 45-0 in the Open Division state championship game last year.

Last season, Serra won at Folsom and DLS and was unbeaten before being defeated by Bosco.

The Padres defeated Folsom and DLS again this season, both in San Mateo, en route to another unbeaten season and a fourth consecutive Central Coast Section championship in the top division.

Mater Dei defeated Bosco 35-7 in the Southern Section Division I championship game last week to earn a spot against Serra.

The teams will meet again on December 9 at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, where Mater Dei defeated the Padres 44-7 to win the Open state championship in 2021.

Next week, Serra, a senior-heavy team, will be a significant underdog.