Eagles 45 - Newport Harbor 6
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| Photo: Jack E. Hancock |
MISSION VIEJO, CA., October 24, 1997 – In front of an enthusiastic Homecoming crowd of 6,000 Carson Palmer and John Minardi led the Eagles to an important 45-6 win over Sea View League rival Newport Harbor at Saddleback College. The win allowed the Eagles to improve to 7-0 overall and 2-0 in league play. Palmer passed for school record 356 yards and accounted for a record 385 yards of total offense, while Minardi tied a school record with four touchdowns as the Eagles scored on seven of their first eight possessions to post their fourth consecutive win over the Sailors.
On their opening possession Palmer scrambled out of the pocket to find Minardi who raced untouched for a 56-yard Td and a quick 7-0 lead. On their next possession the Eagles were stopped on the Sailor seven, but Minardi ran a fake field goal in for the score and a 14-0 lead. After Brett Baker's eight-yard Td run cut the lead to 14-6, Nick Sparks added a 20-yard field goal. A fumble on the Sailor 16 stopped another potential scoring drive and the Eagles led 17-6 at the half.
In the second half, the Eagles' defense limited the Sailors to three completions and 23 yards rushing, while Palmer hit Minardi on 43- and 20-yard Td passes, Mike O'Gorman returned a blocked punt 26 yards for a score and Bryant Wolfsberger added a two-yard run to close the scoring. On the day Minardi collected 141 yards on six receptions and added nine tackles and a blocked punt.
His three Tds gave him 23 in his career breaking Brian Finneran's career record of 22. Wolfsberger rushed for 92 yards and set a school record with two blocked kicks (one punt and one PAT). LB/Wingback Nick Cappelletti rushed for 18 yards on two carries and led the defense with 15 tackles.
| Santa Margarita | 7 | 10 | 21 | 7 | 45 |
| Newport Harbor | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
SM – Minardi 56 pass from Palmer (Sparks kick)
SM – Minardi 7 run (Sparks kick)
NH – Baker 8 run (kick failed)
SM – FG Sparks 20
SM – Minardi 42 pass from Palmer (Sparks kick)
SM – Minardi 21 pass from Palmer (Sparks kick)
SM – O'Gorman 19 blocked punt return (Sparks kick)
SM – Wolfsberger 2 run (Sparks kick)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing: NH - Baker 20-84, Stewart 8-10; SM - Wolfsberger ?-92
Passing: NH - Gorman 6-17-1-94; SM - Palmer 17-29-0-348
Receiving: NH - Garcia 5-69, Hogan 1-18; SM - Minardi 6-141, Orlando 5-105
By Adrian Peters
Sports Information Director
Santa Margarita on a roll
MISSION VIEJO – Santa Margarita wasn't satisfied with winning the CIF Southern Section Division V championship last year.
"The coaches are putting more pressure on us," Eagles senior wide receiver John Minardi said. "So this year we're expected to know our assignments better."
If Friday night's game against Newport Harbor is any indication, Santa Margarita is making its coaches happy.
The Eagles drilled Newport Harbor, 45-6, in a Sea View League game at Saddleback College.
Minardi scored four touchdowns. He scored three on pass receptions and another on a fake field-goal attempt when, as the holder, he took the snap and ran 7 yards to the end zone. He also blocked a punt.
Santa Margarita senior quarterback Carson Palmer set a school record when he passed for 348 yards, surpassing the mark of 334 set by Sean O'Brien against Tustin in 1992.
The Eagles, ranked No. 1 in CIF Southern Section Division V and second in Orange County, are 7-0 overall and 2-0 in league. Last week, they beat Corona del Mar, 63-0.
Newport Harbor is 0-2 in league (5-2 overall) and likely would have to win its three remaining games against El Toro, Irvine and Corona del Mar to qualify for the playoffs.
The Eagles scored on their first seven possessions.
Palmer connected with Minardi on touchdown passes of 56, 42 and 21 yards. Santa Margarita also scored on Minardi's run on the fake field goal; a 20-yard field goal by Nick Sparks; a 2 yard run by Bryant Wolfsberger: and on Mike O'Gorman's 19-yard return of a second blocked punt.
Santa Margarita plays host to Irvine next Friday.
By Steve Fryer
Saturday, October 25, 1997
The Orange County Register - Sports 11
