High school football teams kicked off official fall practices on July 31. College football teams got an earlier start prior to the start of the weekend. All teams will be looking forward to the new season and a chance to make a name for themselves. Mater Dei Catholic High School is coming off two consecutive state bowl game championships and, if everything falls into place again, could be vying for its third consecutive state CIF title. The 2022-23 season was certainly one of the program’s most successful in school history despite getting off to an uncharacteristic 0-4 start while playing one of the San Diego Section’s toughest schedules. When the final horn sounded, the Crusaders had chalked up Metro-Mesa League, Division I section, Southern California regional and state CIF 2-AA Division championships. The challenge to returners on the team is to do it all again despite the loss to 23 players to graduation. Mater Dei Catholic finished 11-4 last season (3-0 in league play) and carries an 11-game winning streak into its season opener at Cathedral Catholic on Aug. 18. The Crusaders will play their opening two games on the road before hosting defending Open Division champion Lincoln in a high-profile non-league clash on Sept. 8 With only three league games, Mater Dei Catholic’s schedule is once again heavy on non-league opponents. After opening against the Dons, the Crusaders play at Carlsbad, the section’s top-ranked team during the 2022 regular season (and Open Division runner-up), on Aug. 25. Another road game follows on Sept. 15 at Point Loma before hosting St. Augustine in another high-profile encounter on Sept. 22. Mater Dei Catholic concludes October with four games against Metro Conference opponents: Oct. 6 against the visiting Montgomery Aztecs (defending Metro-South Bay League champions) in a seventh consecutive non-league game, followed by league match-ups Oct. 12 at Bonita Vista, home against Eastlake on Oct. 20 and Oct. 26 at Otay Ranch. EastlaSource: https://www.thestarnews.com/training-ca ... ll-season/