Eagles 27 - Fountain Valley 21
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| Photo: Paul E. Rodriguez |
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CA., October 10, 1997 – The Eagles overcame two costly turnovers and came back to post a 27-21 win over the seventh-ranked Fountain Valley Barons before a capacity crowd of 6,000 at Huntington Beach High School. The win was the Eagles’ 16th in a row and their 10th in 13 games against CIF Division I opponents. After John Sanders 61-yard Td run early in the first quarter, the Eagles got on the board with a 31-yard field goal by Nick Sparks with the help of a 29-yard run by Bryant Wolfsberger (18-100).
Carson Palmer later found John Minardi on a spectacular 32-yard Td pass to go up 10-7. It was Minardi’s sixth consecutive game with a receiving Td to tie his school record. Palmer’s one-yard plunge in the second quarter extended the lead to 17-7.
In the third quarter, the Eagles stopped the Barons on downs at the four, but on first down Wolfsberger fumbled to set up a one-yard run by Jason Morris to trim the lead to 17-14. Another fumble their next possession was returned 45 yards for a Td and the Barons suddenly led 21-17.
A bad snap on a punt resulted in a safety for the Eagles and the Baron’s lead was cut to 21-19. Palmer’s 20-yard Td pass to TE Jordan Beckner with 7:19 left sealed the victory. On the day Minardi set a school record with his 242 yards on nine receptions. Palmer ended up 14-23 for a career high 262 yards, while Nick Cappelletti and Andrew Holstein led the defense with 12 tackles each.
| Santa Margarita | 10 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 27 |
| Fountain Valley | 7 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 21 |
FV – Sanders 61 run (Carter kick)
SM – FG Sparks 31
SM – Minardi 32 pass from Palmer (Sparks kick)
SM – Palmer 1 run (Sparks kick)
FV – Morris 1 run (Carter kick)
FV – Heinle 45 fumble return (Carter kick)
SM – Safety, Frey tackled in end zone
SM – Beckner 20 pass from Palmer (Brooks pass from Palmer)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing: SM - Wolfsberger 19-92; FV - Sanders 14-132, Quintana 2-13
Passing: SM Palmer 14-23-0-262, Orlando 1-1-0-40; FV Morris 16-33-1-170
Receiving: SM - Minardi 9-242, Orlando 3-36; FV - Aman 4-46, Frey 4-33
By Adrian Peters
Sports Information Director
Santa Margarita's victory is a snap
The Eagles come back to defeat Fountain Valley, 27-21, taking advantage of a bad center snap on a punt attempt.
HUNTINGTON BEACH – It was supposed to be Santa Margarita's first real test of the season, but the Eagles, ranked second in the county, came, oh, so close to failing the exam.
Fountain Valley, ranked seventh, took a four-point lead into the fourth quarter before the Eagles rallied for a 27-21 victory in front of an estimated 6,000 at Huntington Beach High on Friday.
Santa Margarita receiver John Minardi had nine catches for a school-record 242 yards to lead the Eagles offense. But it was a Fountain Valley mistake, a high snap of a punt, that decided the game.
The errant snap went over the head of punter Jeff Frey, who chased it into the end zone before being tackled for a safety.
Santa Margarita (5-0) then went 41 yards on the ensuing possession, quarterback Carson Palmer hitting tight end Jordan Beckner for a 20-yard score to reclaim the lead.
Fountain Valley (4-1) trailed, 17-7, at the intermission, but turned two Santa Margarita fumbles into touchdowns in the third quarter.
Brian Sanfilippo recovered a Bryant Wolfsberger fumble at the Eagles 2 to set up a 1-yard run by Jason Morris.
Wolfsberger fumbled again on his next carry and Fountain Valley linebacker Nick Heinle returned it 45 yards for another touchdown.
Palmer, who had taken only 19 snaps in four previous games, completed 14 of 23 passes for 262 yards.
By David Osterman
Saturday, October 11, 1997
The Orange County Register - Sports 1
