Notre Dame football team routs San Bernardino to remain unbeaten

RIVERSIDE – The excitement has returned to the Notre Dame High School football sidelines. So, too, has the belief.

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Matteo Anelli passed for 189 yards and four touchdowns and added another score on the ground as the Titans cruised to a 53-3 victory over San Bernardino in a nonleague game played Thursday at Arlington High School.

Notre Dame improved to 4-0 heading into next Saturday’s “Holy War” rivalry game against Aquinas, which will be played at Ramona High School. The four wins is one more than the previous five seasons combined (3-46) for the program.

“Some of these kids are on their fourth coach in four years,” said Derrick Johnson, a Notre Dame alumnus who returned this year for a second stint in charge of the program. “They’ve been sold on different visions year after year, which can’t be easy for a young athlete to deal with. I’m proud of all those kids for their commitment to this program.”

Senior lineman Colton Dufour is one of those players who stayed despite that revolving door of head coaches. And prior to this season, Dufour had experienced a football victory only one other time at the high school level.

“It’s a surreal feeling. This is one of the best experiences of my life,” Dufour said about the Titans winning four straight games to start the season. “We used to be the team losing games 60-0. Other schools put us on their schedule because they though it was an easy win. Things have really turned around. We are the winners now.

“I could have left, but I stayed because I bleed green and gold. These stands were empty for many years, and now people are coming back out to watch Notre Dame football again. We’re setting a foundation for the future, and I’m proud to be part of that.”

San Bernardino (0-4) caught the Titans by surprise, as Moises Zamudio successfully converted an onside kick to start the game. The Cardinals gained 19 yards on their first play from scrimmages, but those gains were few and far between.

Notre Dame’s aggressive defense had San Bernardino moving backwards most of the contest. The Cardinals had minus-2 yards at halftime and finished with 46 yards, with 17 of their 41 plays going for negative yardage.

“We want to strike hard and get to the ball fast,” Johnson said. “The goal every week is just trying to perfect the things we do.”

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Notre Dame went three-and-out on their first possession, but taht was only time the Titans failed to reach the end zone.

Anelli scrambled for a 12-yard touchdown to give the Titans the lead with 1:01 remaining in the opening period. Ayden Parra intercepted a pass on the next play from scrimmages, and Anelli fired a 41-yard touchdown to Deion Johnson on the ensuing snap.

The Titans continued to pour it on in the second period. Boyd Phipps and Seneca Givens had touchdown runs of 2 and 36 yards, respectively. Anelli threw a pair touchdown passes to Parra (8 and 1 yards) before halftime.

Notre Dame had only one offensive possession in the second half because of a running clock, but Anelli and Parra connected for a third touchdown, a 29-yarder at the start of the fourth quarter to push the lead to 53-0.

Deion Johnson finished the night with three catches for 126 yards, and Phipps ran for a team-high 57 yards on five carries.

Dufour and his teammates know the big test comes next week against Aquinas. A once competitive rivalry has turned lopsided in recent years, with Aquinas winning eight straight games by a combined score of 356-53.

“It’s the biggest game of the year, no doubt,” Dufour said. “It just gives me chills thinking about the game now. Aquinas is a tough opponent. I can’t say we’re going to win, but it’s the first time in a while that we have a chance.”

Zamudio was a bright spot for San Bernardino during Thursday night’s game. In addition to the onside kick, he gained 46 yards on four touches and drilled a 32-yard field goal in the final minutes to prevent a Notre Dame shutout.

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This story was originally published September 11, 2026 at 12:43 AM.