Damien 25 - Eagles 20 - CIF
LA VERNE, CA., November 19, 1993 – Santa Margarita went into the playoffs with a perfect first round record, but ran into a physical Damien team.
The game turned into a see-saw battle, but it was the Spartans who finished on top at the end, 25-20.
In the previous four years the Eagles had won their first round CIF games, so the loss was a huge blow.
The offense could not get anything going in the first quarter after an intercepted pass at the 10 killed the Eagles' opening drive.
The Spartans used a strong running attack to take a 9-0 lead before SM got rolling.
Allowing the Eagles to throw the ball underneath a soft zone, Derek Yankoff got hot in the second quarter.
He hit Brian Finneran from 14 yards and ran in from 13 yards to put the Eagles ahead 13-9 at intermission.
After a scoreless third quarter Damien pulled ahead on A.J. Blackmore's 1-yard run. A field goal gave the Spartans a 19-13 lead with 5:32 left in the game.
The offense came alive and orchestrated a 12-play, 80-yard drive ending with a five-yard reception by Brian Finneran. Ryan Korinke's PAT, his 43rd in a row, gave SM a 20-19 lead.
It didn't last, however, as Damien's Blackmore scored in two plays after the kickoff to end the Eagles' season with an 8-3 record.
| Damien | 6 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 25 |
| Santa Margarita | 0 | 13 | 0 | 7 | 20 |
DAM – Romo 11 pass from Fuentes (kick failed)
DAM – Hernandez 18 FG
SM – Bri. Finneran 14 pass from Yankoff (Korinke kick)
SM – Yankoff 13 run (run failed)
DAM – Blackmore 1 run (Hernandez kick)
DAM – Hernandez 29 FG
SM – Bri. Finneran 6 pass from Yankoff (Korinke kick)
DAM – Blackmore 3 run (pass failed)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing: Yankoff 8-31, Collins 6-28
Passing: Yankoff 23-42-2, 273, .534%, 2 TD
Receiving: Brian Finneran 14-135, Brad Finneran 7-123
Defense: Brian Finneran 9 tackles, 2 rec. fumbles, Lucas 10 tackles, Brad
Finneran 9 tackles, Collins 9 tackles.
Brian Finneran ended with 14 catches to become OC's all-time receiver
Late drive crushes Santa Margarita
LA VERNE – With his team hit hard by flu all week, Santa Margarita coach Jim Hartigan said the Eagles had to "hang tough" for Friday's CIF Southern Section Division IV playoff game against Damien.
And the Eagles did that _ until the final two minutes, when they allowed Damien to score the winning touchdown and outdistance them 25-20, before an estimated 3,500 at Damien High.
Trailing 19-13 with 5:32 remaining, the Eagles put together a 12-play, 80-yard drive, capped by a 6-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Derek Yankoff to Brian Finneran. Ryan Korinke's extra point gave the Eagles a 20-19 lead with 2:20 remaining.
But Damien's return of the ensuing kickoff and a facemask penalty put the ball at midfield. Following a 38-yard run by Chris Colvin, A.J. Blackmore carried it 3 yards for the winning touchdown.
"We were hoping the kick would go further," Hartigan said. "They got a decent return, then the facemask penalty. They went 1, 2, 3, in. That was not the way I was hoping to play the last drive." The Spartans rushing for 328 yards. Blackmore led all rushers with 22 carries for 176 yards.
By Tiffany Sparks
Saturday, November 20, 1993
The Orange County Register - C8
