Baldwin Park 13 - Eagles 7 - CIF
Santa Margarita upset, 13-7. Unseeded Baldwin Park eliminates No. 4 Eagles
MISSION VIEJO, CA., December 1, 1990 – Big plays were a staple of Santa Margarita's performance this season, but the Eagles received a bit of their own medicine Saturday night.
Unseeded Baldwin Park parlayed two huge breaks and a smothering defense into a 13-7 upset of fourth-seeded and previously undefeated Santa Margarita in a CIF Southern Section Division IV semifinal game at Saddleback College.
Baldwin Park (10-2-1) moved into the championship game against Arlington by knocking off a seeded team for the second straight week. The Braves knocked off top-seeded Canyon Springs in the quarterfinals.
A 95-yard touchdown pass and a 45-yard interception return for a score by Baldwin Park halted Santa Margarita's opportunity for a championship and unbeaten record. The Eagles finish 12-1 in their second season of varsity competition.
Santa Margarita generated little offense aside from a 76-yard drive late in the fourth quarter that led to its only points. Baldwin Park limited the Eagles to 101 yards total offense and six first downs and forced three turnovers.
"We made too many mistakes to win," Santa Margarita coach Jim Hartigan said. "We knew they were a good ballclub coming in, and I told the kids we'd have to play mistake-free ball to win. You can't win championships turning the ball over.”
A crowd of about 3,000 watched Baldwin Park break open a defensive battle. On third-and-15 at the Brave 5-yard line, Baldwin Park quarterback Mark Ruiz fired a pass over the middle to wide receiver Dante Casillas, who caught it at the 15 and slipped away from Eagle cornerback David Shearer. Casillas went 95 yards for the touchdown and a 7-0 lead with 2:18 left in the first quarter.
“We've been a big-play team this year, especially against these good teams," said Baldwin Park coach Tony Zane. “We got one big offensive play, one big defensive play, and the rest of the time the defense took over.”
“We've been a big-play team this year, especially against these good teams," said Baldwin Park coach Tony Zane. “We got one big offensive play, one big defensive play, and the rest of the time the defense took over.”
The defense scored the other Baldwin Park touchdown with 1:15 to go in the second quarter. Safety Alan Gomez stepped in front of a pass by Santa Margarita quarterback Trevor Yankoff intended for Josh Ireland and returned it 45 yards for the TD. Reggie Recio missed the extra point to keep the score 13-0.
Meantime, Baldwin Park shut off the Eagles' balanced attack. Santa Margarita mustered 12 yards and one first down in the first half.
Yankoff suffered through a subpar performance, completing 12 of 28 passes for 88 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Yankoff went six for 10 for 60 yards on the Eagles' scoring drive. Sean O'Brien pulled a Yankoff pass away from two Brave defenders in the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown with 1:35 left in the game.
After holding on downs, Santa Margarita had one more chance with 35 seconds and the ball at its 38. But Gomez intercepted another pass headed for Ireland to start the Baldwin Park celebration.
| Baldwin Park | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Santa Margarita | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
BP – Casillas 95 pass from Ruiz (Recio kick)
BP – Gomez 45 interception return (kick failed)
SM – O'Brien 12 pass from Yankoff (Lucero kick)
By Brent Goodrich
Sunday, December 2, 1990
The Orange County Register - C18
