Woodbridge - CIF Game Notes
This is the eighth game between Santa Margarita and the Woodbridge Warriors, and their fourth meeting with the Eagles as the home team. The Eagles hold a 6-1 series lead and a 2-1 edge at home.
The Eagles have fared well in seasonal rematch games over the years going 3-0. The Eagles beat league rival Newport Harbor in both the 1996 and 1997 playoffs and fellow league rival Irvine last week.
The Woodbridge and Santa Margarita winner will give the Sea View League a CIF Champion for the 8th consecutive year.
Last Meeting: The Eagles lost their second game in as many weeks by falling to the Sea View League Co-Champion Woodbridge Warriors 20-12 at Saddleback College. The loss snapped the Eagles 17-game home winning streak and dropped them into third place in the Sea View League standings. Despite outgaining the Warriors 245-222, the Eagles sputtered most of the night and had only two drives longer than 21 yards. The Eagles could only convert three of 12 third down conversions, and all four of their turnovers were inside their own territory allowing Woodbridge to win the battle of field position. The defense played well, led by Matt Szkalak’s 13 tackles, but they allowed the Warriors to convert three key third down conversions in the second half to keep drives alive. After two turnovers and four punts on their first six possessions helped the Warriors to a 17-0 lead, Greg Orlando found Trent Zinn on a 43-yard touchdown pass to close within 17-6 at the half. A three-yard touchdown run by Spencer McCroskey with 8:23 left closed the gap to 17-12; however, two interceptions by Woodbridge on consecutive Eagle drives sealed the Warrior victory.
QUICK FACTS
This is Santa Margarita’s 124th varsity game, and 64th home game. The Eagles are
currently 94-28-1 (.768) as they enter Week 14 of their tenth
varsity season. Their .768 winning percentage is the second
best in State history behind Concord De La Salle.
The Eagles’ all-time home record is 51-11-1 (.817), and they are 2-0 as the home team at Titan Stadium. These two being the 1996 and 1997 CIF Championship Games. They are 4-0 at this venue overall, and 1-0 vs. Sea View League teams with the 38-0 win over Newport Harbor in 1996. The Eagles have won 18 of their past 19 home games, and are 7-4 (.636) as the home team in the playoffs.
The Eagles have qualified for the playoffs in nine of their ten varsity seasons. They have an all-time playoff mark of 17-6 (.739), have won 11 straight playoff games, and are in the Finals at Cal State Fullerton for the third year in a row.
COACHES
Jim Hartigan is 94-28-1 (.768) in his 10th season
as varsity Head Coach. Overall Coach Hartigan has a 110-31-2
(.776) 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 59-46-7 (.558) at
Woodbridge.
By Adrian Peters
Sports Information Director
