Eagles 55 - Banning 13
Ireland leads Santa Margarita
MISSION VIEJO, CA., September 27, 1991 – Injured Santa Margarita running back Josh Ireland made a late entrance, and barely played in the second half, but his six carries were good for 141 yards and four touchdowns as the Eagles ripped Banning of Riverside, 55-13, in their home opener at Saddleback College Friday night.
Ireland, nursing a thigh bruise sustained in the first quarter of last week's 13-12 loss to University, didn't touch the ball until late in the Eagles' second scoring drive.
The Santa Margarita offensive line (Matt Lucas, Manuel Rubiralta, Matt Zaist, Jim Herlihy, Brent Noonan, Tom Haupert, and Ryan Zalta) blew gigantic holes for running back Chris Tiernan (23 yards) and quarterback Sean O'Brien (22 yards, TD), as the Eagles marched 45 yards in the game's first 45 seconds. J.J. Wilson set up the initial drive by returning the opening kickoff across midfield.
O‘Brien hit Wilson on a 34 yard pass play to key a 66 yard scoring drive capped by an 8 yard Ireland run later in the first quarter. With the score 14-0, Banning drove to the Eagle 11, but linebacker Ryan Zalta stopped the Bronco's Lamont Hicks short on fourth down.
Ireland's 70 touchdown run on the next series put the game out of reach.
| Santa Margarita | 14 | 27 | 14 | 0 | 55 |
| Banning | 0 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 13 |
SM – O'Brien 22 run (Pavlovich kick)
SM – Ireland 8 run (Pavlovich kick)
SM – Ireland 70 run (kick failed)
SM – treland 9 run (Pavlovich kick)
SM – Sulick 29 return of blocked punt (Pavlovich kick)
SM – Ireland 17 run (Pavlovich kick)
SM – Finneran 12 interception return (Pavlovich kick)
BAN – Hicks 68 run (Run failed)
SM – Villanueva 12 run (Pavlovich kick)
BAN – Kicks 2 run (Falls kick)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing: SM - Ireland 6-141. Tiernan 5-102; Ban - Hicks 22-168
Passing: SM - O'Brien 1-1-0-34. Dutty 1-2-0-18; Ban - Butler 2-3-1-8
Receiving: SM - Wilson 2-52; Ban - Mahorn 1-10
By Murray Quirk
Saturday, September 28, 1991
The Orange County Register - D10
