Woodbridge - Game Notes
This is the seventh game between Santa Margarita and the Woodbridge Warriors, and the fourth at Saddleback College. The series goes back to 1992 with the Eagles holding a 6-0 advantage. The Eagles have never lost to the Warriors at any level (18-0).
In 1992, Kevin Duffy’s three touchdowns and Brad Finneran’s two interceptions helped spark the Eagles to a 52-31 win. In 1993, Brad Finneran picked off two more passes, and brother Brian collected two touchdown passes from Derek Yankoff as the Eagles won 14-0. In 1994, Santa Margarita jumped out to a 21-0 lead and held off a late Woodbridge rally to win 21-14. The Eagles were led by Matt Nickels’ record-tying three interceptions and his 23-yard touchdown reception from Chris Collins. In 1995, The Eagles rolled up 313 first half yards to take a 34-3 halftime lead in route to a 41-10 win. In the first half, Billy Newman rushed for 121 yards and three touchdowns, while Chris Collins completed nine of 12 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown. A record five Eagles played quarterback including sophomore Carson Palmer who made his first varsity appearance. In 1996, Carson Palmer completed 10 of 14 passes and threw one touchdown pass to John Minardi, while linebacker Damien Minna (nine tackles) spearheaded a defense that limited the Warriors to minus nine yards rushing and 119 yards overall as the Eagles won 23-6 at Saddleback College. In 1997, Bryant Wolfsberger rushed for 220 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Eagles to a 40-7 win over the previously unbeaten Woodbridge Warriors. The win was the Eagles’ 20th in a row and clinched their second consecutive Sea View League Championship. The Eagles built a 7-0 lead thanks to Wolfsberger’s 26-yard touchdown run. In the second quarter, Carson Palmer (12 of 20 for 159 yards) found John Minardi for a six-yard score to make it 13-0, but Nick Sparks’ PAT was blocked. A scoring drive by Woodbridge with the aid of 30 yards in Eagle penalties cut the lead to 13-7 at the half. Santa Margarita came out inspired in the second half scoring on four of five possessions, limiting the Warriors to four completions in 14 attempts and seven first downs (five by penalty), and forcing three turnovers. Nick Cappelletti (11 tackles) and Andrew Holstein (nine tackles) helped hold the Warriors to five yards on 21 carries on the night. Matt Brooks intercepted his third pass of the season, while Minardi (nine receptions for 113 yards) added eight tackles.
The Warriors are 8-0-1 and are ranked 1st Division VI, 4th in Orange County and 3rd in Calif. Division II.
Woodbridge is undefeated heading into a game with the Eagles for the fourth time in six years. They lost their previous three times (14-0 in 1993, 21-14 in 1994 and 40-7 in 1997).
COACHES
Jim Hartigan is 91-27-1 (.769) in his 10th season
as varsity Head Coach. Overall Coach Hartigan has a 107-30-2
(.777) if you include 10-0 and 6-3-1 lower level teams that
he led in 1987 and 1988 respectively before the Eagles fielded
varsity teams. He was honored as the both the 1996 and 1997 Daily Pilot Sea View League Coach of the Year, CIF-SS
Division V Coach of the Year and the National Football Foundation
Orange County Coach of the Year. The Warriors are led by 10th year coach Rick Gibson who has a record of 55-46-7 (.542) at
Woodbridge.
By Adrian Peters
Sports Information Director
