St. Paul - Game Notes
The St. Paul game marks the start of the Eagles’ 15th varsity season and their 5th in both CIF-SS Division I and as part of the highly competitive Serra League. It also marks the debut of new Eagle Head Coach Mike Jacot.
Last year, they finished 6-5 and advanced to the CIF Playoffs for the 13th time in 14 seasons. They lost to Esperanza 41-7 in the first round of the D-I playoffs.
The Eagles have gone 7-0-1 in their last eight season openers, and 10-3-1 overall. Their last opening game loss was in 1994 when they fell 17-12 at Trabuco Hills. They have not lost a season opening game at Saddleback College since falling 50-14 to Trabuco Hills in their inaugural game in 1989.
This is the second game between Santa Margarita and the St. Paul Swordsmen. In 2001, Ashton White carried 30 times for 171 yards and scored two touchdowns, while QB Marshall Tharpe ran for two touchdowns himself as the Eagles used an effective ball control attack to defeat St. Paul 28-14 before 3,000 diehard fans at “The Pit”. A recap of the 2001 game is included herein.
St. Paul finished the 2002 season 7-4-1 and finished second in the Mission
League. They advanced to the CIF Division VI quarter-finals where they
lost 21-17 to Mira Costa. They are led by legendary coach Marion Ancich
who is entering his 28th season at St. Paul. He is the winningest coach
in California prep history with a 320-105-8 (.748) mark. Coach Ancich
is 0-2 vs. Santa Margarita losing 35-21 as Tustin’s coach in 1992
and 28-14 in 2001.
Eagle - Swordsmen History (SM leads series 1-0)
2001 (Week 6) SM 28, St. Paul 14 @ St. Paul High School
Situational Record – St. Paul Game
Varsity Game No. and Record: 170, 122-44-3 (.731)
Home Game No. and Record: 82, 62-16-3 (.784)
Week 1 Record (Season Openers): 10-3-1 (.750)
Home Game No. and Record: 88, 66-18-3 (.776)
Record at Saddleback College: 58-15-2 (.787)
Record vs. St. Paul: 1-0 (2003 is 2nd Mtg)
Record vs. Los Angeles County Schools: 25-8 (.758)
Record vs. Catholic Schools: 21-10-1 (.672)
Record on Friday: 101-36-3 (.732)
Record as a Division I team: 28-15-2 (.644)
By Adrian Peters
Sports Information Director
