Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) quarterback Bryce Young (Photo: Mater Dei)

4. Mater Dei
Location: Santa Ana, Calif.
2018-19 Record: 13-2
Final Super 25 Rank: 1

Why them: The back-to-back National Champions are losing some key pieces, including ALL-USA First Team wide receiver Bru McCoy, who racked up more than a third of Mater Dei’s receiving yards; the running back tandem of Shakobe Harper and Sean Dollars; and star cornerbacks Elias Ricks and Darion Green-Warren, who are transferring so they can graduate early.

But Mater Dei lost even more last offseason, when it graduated ALL-USA First Team quarterback JT Daniels, ALL-USA Defensive Player of the Year Solomon Tuliaupupu, a five-star wide receiver and almost all its starting offensive line. Instead of falling behind other Trinity League powers, the Monarchs finished No. 1.

Returning five-star quarterback Bryce Young is a key piece to retaining that spot. It’s not just him, though; Young is one of 12 players on the roster rated three-star or better. The team will return four-star offensive lineman Myles Murao, who missed the second half of last season due to a leg injury. Last year, it seemed inevitable the Monarchs would take a step back; instead, they were the best team in the country.