Eagles 38 - Trabuco Hills 24
MISSION VIEJO, CA., September 13, 1996 – The Eagles opened the 1996 season with a bit of tricker which would carry on throughout the season. On their first play from scrimmage, Carson Palmer handed to Billy Newman.Newman ran at the line and pitched the ball back to Palmer, who then threw to John Minardi for a 75-yard score. Newman did most of the rest for the Eagles as he ran for three scores and 364 yards. Newman’s performance masked Chris Lewis’ 241 yard night for Trabuco. The Eagles scored 21 straight points in the 2nd and 3rd quarters to take a comfortable 35-14 lead.
| Santa Margarita | 14 | 7 | 14 | 3 | 38 |
| Trabuco Hills | 6 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 24 |
SM – Minardi 75 pass from Palmer (Sparks kick)
TH – Lewis 8 run (kick failed)
SM – Newman 2 run (Sparks kick)
TH – FG Heaney 27
SM – Newman 2 run (Sparks kick)
SM – Minna 10 pass from Palmer (Sparks kick)
SM – Newman 10 run (Sparks kick)
TH – Lewis 10 run (Heaney kick)
TH – Lewis 72 run (Ortiz run)
SM – FG Sparks 28
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing: SM - Newman 30-353, Minna 2-10; TH - Lewis 23-241; Ortiz 10-49
Passing: SM, Palmer 4-6-136; TH - Lindow 8-15-64
Receiving: SM - Minardi 1-75, Minna 2-48; TH - Benda 5-58, Flourney 2-14
By Adrian Peters
Sports Information Director
Newman's 353 yards lift Eagles
MISSION VIEJO – Trabuco Hills coach Bill Crow is a track official during the spring so he has seen a few races in his time.
Friday, he saw one waged on the football field as Santa Margarita senior Billy Newman ran for 353 yards and Trabuco Hills junior Chris Lewis ran 241 yards in the teams' opener at Trabuco Hills High.
Santa Margarita won the sideshow, 38-24, to even the all-time series between the schools at 2-2.
"Chris and Billy had the Chris and Billy Show tonight," Crow said. "Newman is a great back. At times they didn't block us, and he ran around us."
Newman's total — the fourth highest in county history came on 30 carries and broke Josh Ireland's 1991 school record of 279 yards. The 5-foot-10, 181-pound Newman, who had 180 yards at halftime, scored on a pair of 2-yard runs in the first half and added a 10-yard run in the third to give the Eagles a 35-9 lead.
He wasn't too impressed with his performance, however.
"The (offensive line) played like it was the CIF championship; I played like it was the first game," said Newman, referring to Stan Bennett, Shaun Jackson, Ryan Thigpen, Bryce Jackson and Jarlath Curran.
Trabuco Hills fought back behind the 5-foot-10, 180-pound Lewis who scored on a 10-yard run with 1:23 left in the third quarter and had a 72-yard touchdown run with 11:03 left in the game. Billy Ortiz ran in a two-point conversion to make the score 35-24 but that was as close as Trabuco Hills would get.
Lewis' total also was a school record, breaking Jeff Clayton's 1991 mark of 220.
Santa Margarita didn't go to Newman right away.
On their first offensive play, the Eagles used him as a decoy as they ran a flea-flicker. Newman pitched back to quarterback Carson Palmer, who threw to a streaking John Minardi for a 75yard touchdown.
Newman didn't get his first carry until 2:29 left in the first quarter and the Eagles starting at their 41. He started quickly, carrying the ball seven consecutive times for 59 yards on the drive, which he capped with a 2 yard run.
By Dan Albano
Saturday, September 14, 1996
The Orange County Register - Sports 11
