PLAYA DEL REY - Right now, it looks like the resurgence of Mary Star High football does not see an ending any time soon.

Behind a spectacular team defensive performance, and an offense that had so many big plays to offset a whopping 13 penalties and turnovers that ended their first two possessions of the game, the visiting Stars would roll to an impressive 39-3 victory over St. Bernard of Playa Del Rey Friday in a nonleague contest, for a rare 2-0 start to their 2016 season. 

It has been a long time since the Stars had an opening to a football season this dominant, as they've reeled off two big wins by a combined 95-19 count against both the Vikings (1-1) and Bosco Tech of Rosemead, which will give them tons of momentum going into next Friday's battle against Linfield Christian of Temecula, who won their opener on Friday, 30-25 over Desert Hot Springs.

Neither team would score in the first quarter, but after a lost fumble at midfield by Mary Star sophomore running back Luke Sabra, St. Bernard would drive to the Stars' 2-yard line as the quarter ended, but the defense held serve on their next two plays, forcing a 19-yard field goal attempt from David Young to give St. Bernard a 3-0 lead with 10:52 to play in the second quarter.

Mary Star would methodically drive to St. Bernard 10-yard line after a 42-yard kickoff return from senior WR/DB Jaime Casiano Jr., but a holding penalty eventually led to senior quarterback Robert Enciso throwing an interception to St. Bernard cornerback Elyas Armstrong.

However, a false start penalty on the Vikings after the turnover would force an eventual safety as senior defensive lineman Daichi Kusunoki and Izzy Amalfitano would team up to stuff Armstrong two yards deep in the end zone to cut Mary Star's deficit to 3-2 with 7:26 play.

And then came the Star-studded sonic boom.

Enciso would toss a perfect pass to junior wide receiver D'Andrew Lopez who caught it in stride and sprinted down the Mary Star sideline for a 60-yard touchdown and a 9-3 Stars advantage with 6:07 left, then three minutes later, senior running back Jasen Watanabe's eight-yard touchdown run would push the lead up to 16-3, which remained that way going into halftime. 

Even with the two early turnovers, and a killer of five offsides penalties on defense, Mary Star maintained their poise in spite of the mistakes, and took charge in the third quarter.

Kusunoki again made his presence felt by forcing an intentional grounding penalty in the end zone with 4:32 to play in the third quarter, giving Mary Star an 18-3 edge, and start what would become a game-breaking string of 23 unanswered points, and the defense would destroy any notions of a potential Viking comeback from that point on.

On the Stars' ensuing possession following the safety, they would drive to St. Bernard's 20-yard line, but would get hit with a holding penalty, and lose another 18 yards off a high snap before a gift of a facemask penalty on the Vikings put the ball on the 40 yard line. Disaster almost struck for the Stars on another high snap, corralled by Enciso this time, before firing a dart over the middle to Casiano Jr. for a 40-yard score and a 25-3 Stars lead at 2:21 in the quarter.

The floodgates would open on senior defensive back Adrian Casillas' interception of a deep pass at midfield that he would return to the 20-yard line again, and Enciso's two-yard touchdown run with with eight seconds left in the third period six plays later would give Mary Star a 32-3 advantage.

Finally, sophomore defensive back Joe James would recover a botched lateral and would return it 48 yards for the final score on the first play of the fourth quarter, and the third takeaway by the Stars' defense in the second half. Eduardo Casiano, a sophomore defensive end and Jaime's brother, also recovered a fumble late in the third quarter.

Enciso would complete 8-of-14 passes for 157 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, while also rushing for a third touchdown, making all five of his extra-point kicks on the night for Mary Star, who has now beaten St. Bernard two consecutive seasons.