Eagles 24 - Long Beach Jordan 6
MISSION VIEJO, CA., September 26, 2003 – Quarterback Michael Angelo rushed for 98 yards and scored two touchdowns while Chris Ramsey added 52 and another touchdown as the Eagles scored 17 unanswered points in the second half to defeat the Long Beach Jordan Panthers 24-6 before 4,500 at Saddleback College. After forcing a punt on the Panthers first series Angelo needed just two plays to hit paydirt as he raced through the defense untouched for a spectacular 64-yard scoring run at the 7:45 mark of the first quarter. Jordan went on a 62-yard drive on their next possession but Thomas Ramirez forced a fumble and it was recovered by Matt Rupp at the Eagle 21. After an Eagle Punt the Panthers went on an 11-play 67-yard drive to close the gap to 7-6 on a 20-yard pass from QB Alex Aispuro to Deamas Fleming with 7:46 left in the first half. The drive was aided by a roughing the passer penalty and a potential interception dropped in the endzone. The PAT however was blocked by Russell Hoeflich. The Eagles then went on a 10-play drive near the end of the half but an interception set up the Panthers deep in Eagle territory. Rupp’s sack on fourth-and-eight with 0:28 seconds left killed the Jordan momentum.
The second half was all Santa Margarita as they ran the ball on every offensive play and controlled both sides of the line of scrimmage. Jordan managed only one first down and three plays over five yards as the Eagles running attack of Angelo, Ramsey and Omar Villamar (11-43) kept the ball out of the visitor’s hands. Ramsey scored from seven yards out with 6:20 left in the third quarter after a short punt and personal foul gave the Eagles a first down at the Jordan 24. On the Eagles next possession they marched 47 yards on eight consecutive running plays before the drive lost steam at the Jordan five. Mike Fowle’s 22-yard field goal made it 17-6 with 10:38 left in the game. Jeff Jones’ fumble recovery one play later led to a quick five play scoring drive as Angelo plunged in from the one with 8:01 left to close out the scoring. Defensively, Jack Meehan and Thomas Ramirez each collected 12 tackles to lead a stellar defensive effort, but unfortunately the Eagle’s streak of 13 consecutive games without allowing a touchdown pass ended.
| Santa Margarita | 7 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 24 |
| Long Beach Jordan | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
SM – Angelo 64 run (kick good)
LBJ – Fleming 20 pass from Aispuro (kick blocked by Hoeflich)
SM – Ramsey 7 run (kick good)
SM – Fowle 22 FG
SM – Angelo 1 run (kick good)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing: Angelo 98, Ramsey 52, Villamar 11-43
Passing: –
Receiving: –
By Adrian Peters
Sports Information Director
Panthers Cannot Soar With Eagles
MISSION VIEJO – The play of Jordan High more than bordered on the self destructive Friday night at Saddleback College.
But the host Santa Margarita Eagles, on the other hand, didn't do much wrong, especially in the second half of their 24-6 nonleague victory over the Panthers.
Holding a 7-6 advantage despite seeing Jordan's offense dominate most of the first 24 minutes, Santa Margarita came out with a revamped offensive look after intermission and the Panthers never adjusted.
Coach Mike Jacot's team came out in four- and five-receiver sets with quarterback Michael Angelo in the first half but decided to go with a power running attack after halftime.
The Eagles (3-0), with running back Chris Ramsey gaining 63 yards, including a 7-yard score, on 10 carries after intermission, rarely ran outside of the tackle and didn't throw a pass in the third or fourth quarters.
Angelo scored his team's first touchdown on a 64-yard bootleg four minutes into the game. He added his team's final TD on a 1-yard dive with eight minutes remaining.
Jordan (1-2), which got just one touchdown -- a 20-yard, fourth-down pass from Alex Aispuro to Deamas Fleming in the second quarter -- was limited to 44 yards and two first downs in the second half.
Tackle Matt Rupp played with an All-CIF fervor on defense for the Eagles, forcing one fumble and recovering another, and making three tackles behind the line of scrimmage.
But the Panthers were every bit as destructive to their own cause through most of the night, committing 12 penalties (10 of those in the first), losing two fumbles and muffing at least six throws from Aispuro that should have been snagged.
Junior running back Timothy Perkins gained 75 yards on his first 12 carries for Jordan but was held to a net of four yards on four carries in the second half.
Both Jordan lines seemed to fatigue in the second half when Santa Margarita had its way up front on both sides of the ball.
The Panthers open Moore League against Millikan next Friday night.
By Frank Burlison
Saturday, September 27, 2003
Long Beach Press-Telegram - B6
