Eagles 42 - Orange Lutheran 0
Youthful Santa Margarita pounds Orange Lutheran
MISSION VIEJO, CA., November 3, 1989 – There's not one senior on the Santa Margarita roster, but it's hard to tell.
On Friday night against Orange Lutheran, the poised and potent Eagles, who have played only nine varsity games, moved a step closer to earning a wild-card playoff berth with a 42-0 victory over the Lancers before 1,000 spectators at Saddleback College.
Only the top two Olympic League teams – as always, it's Whittier Christian and Valley Christian – receive automatic playoff bids. However, if Santa Margarita (6-3, 4-2) can beat Centennial next week, it could advance as a wild card.
Santa Margarita, held scoreless in the first quarter, scored three touchdowns in the second, two on 1-yard scoring runs by senior Josh Ireland.
Ireland, who gained 116 yards on 19 carries, also had a 13-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, his first three-touchdown game of the season. He needs 97 yards next week to become the first 1,000-yard rusher in school history.
Orange Lutheran (2-7, 0-5) played without leading rusher Gil Greene, who has a groin injury.
As a result, the Lancers' offense wasn't as effective as it could have been, although junior quarterback Phil Matheson completed 8 of 17 passes for 51 yards.
"It's the same thing he's had since the fourth week of the season," Orange Lutheran coach Bob Dowding said of Greene, who has rushed for 865 yards and eight touchdowns. “I doubt he'll be back next week."
| Santa Margarita | 0 | 21 | 0 | 21 | 42 |
| Orange Lutheran | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
SM – Ireland 1 run (kick failed)
SM – Ireland 1 run (Feeney kick) Ireland
SM – Shearer 25 pass from Yankoff (Yankoft run)
SM – Ireland 13 run (Feeney kick)
SM – Farris 35 interception return (Feeney kick)
SM – Villanueva 1 run (Feeney kick)
By Marc Stein
Saturday, November 4, 1989
The Orange County Register - D5
