San Clemente - Game Notes
Last year the Tritons ended the Eagles 28-game winning streak with a 37-14 win at Thalassa Stadium.
This is the second game between Santa Margarita and the San Clemente Tritons. Last year, the Eagles (3-1) suffered their first loss in 29 outings as they allowed 446 total yards of offense to Division I San Clemente (2-2) and fell 37-14. It was the Eagles worst defeat on four years and ended the Eagles quest for the County record of consecutive wins (32) set by Edison in 1979-81. The Eagles never got on track offensively and failed to contain the Tritons "Fly" offense as Chris McCormick rushed for 208 yards and scored four touchdowns. After a scoreless first quarter San Clemente scored 17 points with the aid of a fumbled kickoff and a 35-yard field goad as time expired. The Eagles had limited the Tritons to 125 yards to that point, but were hurt by six penalties and poor field position. In the third quarter, the Tritons opened the lead to 30-0 before Tyler Thompson scored on a 24-yards run. Later, Greg Orlando found Mike O'Gorman for a 20-yard score. Offensively, Orlando rushed for a then career-high 93 yards and completed 11 of 19 passes for 138 yards. Defensively, Josh Wills led the team with a career-high 18 tackles.
Santa Margarita is 37-19 (.661) all-time against teams from the southern part of Orange County.
QUICK FACTS
This is Santa Margarita's 128th varsity game, and 67th
home game. The Eagles are currently 95-31-1 (.752) as they
enter Week 4 of their 11th varsity season. 1999 is the Eagles
first season competing in CIF-SS Division I.
The Eagles' all-time home record is 52-13-1 (.795), and they are 47-11-1 (.805) at Saddleback College.
Santa Margarita is not ranked in the Orange County or Division I Top 10, but they did receive some votes.
The Eagles' loss to Dana Hills was only their 11th defeat at Saddleback College. The Eagles have never lost two in a row at Saddleback College Stadium.
COACHES
Eagle Head Coach Jim Hartigan is 95-31-1 (.752) in his
11th season as varsity Head Coach. Overall Coach Hartigan
has a 111-34-2 (.762) 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 Tritons are led by first-year coach Eric Patton
who has a 2-1 (.667) record at San Clemente.
By Adrian Peters
Sports Information Director
