Eagles 28 - Fountain Valley 20
MISSION VIEJO, CA., October 3, 2003 – The Eagles rebounded from an early 14-0 deficit to post a 28-20 win over Fountain Valley before a sellout crowd of 5,000 at Saddleback College. The win improved the Eagles’ record to 4-0 for the second year in a row while the Barons fell to 2-2. Fountain Valley showed no ill effects from a bye week, came out red hot as they marched 58 yards on only seven plays to take a quick 7-0 lead as QB Chris Debowski found Scott Davis for a 14-yard score at the 8:42 mark. The Eagles drove to the Baron 16 on the strength of two key third down completions from Michael Angelo to Ryan Nienhuis, but on third down Angelo’s pass was picked off in the flat and returned 90 yards by Kevin Gerard for a score making the lead 14-0 only 7:21 into the game. Angelo responded by racing untouched 50 yards for a score on the Eagles next possession to close the gap to 14-7 just 2 ½ minutes later. On fourth down from the 45 the Eagles’ Russell Hoeflich blocked a punt that was recovered by Thomas Ramirez and returned to the goalline before being fumbled again where Hoeflich fell on the loose ball in the endzone to close the gap to 14-13. The PAT, however, was blocked.
On the Eagles first possession of the second quarter Angelo (14 carries for 135 yards) once again outraced the Baron defense on his way to a 64-yard scoring run. Angelo then found Jason Graban for the 2-point conversion to make it 21-14. Mark Restelli’s interception near the end of the half stopped a Baron drive that had reached the Eagles’ 13. The score stayed the same until the fourth quarter when Debowski scored from a yard out at the 9:22 mark to close the Eagles’ lead to 21-20. However, Hoeflich came to the rescue again as he blocked the PAT to preserve the Eagles’ lead. Ryan Nienhuis intercepted a pass on the next Baron’s next possession and ran it back 44 yards to set up Chris Ramsey’s one-yard touchdown run with 2:19 remaining to close out the scoring. Jack Meehan once again led a stellar defensive effort as he tallied 14 tackles. Ramirez added 12 of his own and Restelli had 10. DT Matt Rupp recovered a fumble for the fourth game in a row and registered ½ sacks.
| Santa Margarita | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
| Fountain Valley | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
FV – Davis 14 pass from Debowski (kick good)
FV – Gerard 90 interception return (kick good)
SM – Angelo 50 run (kick good)
SM – Hoeflich blocked punt recovered in endzone by Hoeflich (kick blocked)
SM – Angelo 64 run (Graban pass from Angelo)
FV – Debowski 1 run
SM – Ramsey 1 run
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing: SM - Angelo 12-131
Passing: –
Receiving: –
By Adrian Peters
Sports Information Director
Special delivery
Angelo's big night and two kick blocks propel Santa Margarita past Fountain Valley, 28-20
MISSION VIEJO – Defense has played a large part of Santa Margarita's success this season.
But the seventh-ranked Eagles needed an outstanding performance from their quarterback and two key plays on special teams to edge No. 6 Fountain Valley, 28-20, in a nonleague game Friday night at Saddleback College.
Quarterback Michael Angelo had touchdown runs of 50 and 65 yards in the first half, and Russell Hoeflich blocked a punt and an extra point as Santa Margarita improved to 4-0.
"Probably the biggest win this first year (so far)," Santa Margarita first-year coach Mike Jacot said. "We wanted it more."
The Eagles, who entered the game having allowed two touchdowns all season and none in the second half, fell in a 14-0 hole in the first eight minutes after Fountain Valley's Kevin Gerard returned an interception 90 yards for a touchdown.
Angelo, a converted wide receiver who emerged as quarterback last spring, ran for a career-high 131 yards on 12 carries and threatened to break the school single-game quarterback rushing record of 156 held by Carson Palmer.
He broke off a 50-yard keeper in the first quarter and added a 65-yard scamper down the sideline in the second for a 21-14 lead.
"He's an athlete, that's all I can say," Jacot said. "He needs to get the ball more."
The 5-foot-9, 160-pound Hoeflich blocked the extra point after the Barons (2-2) pulled to 21-20 on a 1-yard touchdown run by quarterback Chris Debowski early in the fourth quarter.
Hoeflich also blocked a punt and recovered it in the end zone in the first half that brought Santa Margarita to 14-13.
"He's a guy that comes off the bench for us, and he really stepped up in a big time situation for us," Jacot said.
The teams combined for four turnovers in the second half, including an interception by Ryan Nienhuis, who returned it to the Fountain Valley 34-yard line.
Eight plays later, Chris Ramsey scored on 1-yard run with 2:19 remaining.
"It bothered me we didn't come back sharper (in the second half)," Fountain Valley coach Eric Johnson said. "We have to come to play. I don't know if the bye week hurt us."
Tempers flared as the teams combined for 13 penalties, including three personal fouls. Fountain Valley's Ryan Best was ejected for kicking a player on Santa Margarita's final scoring drive -- a penalty that put the ball on the Barons' 3-yard line.
Eagles defensive back Mark Johnson left the game in the second half with a dislocated left elbow, Jacot said.
By Curtis Zupke
Saturday, October 4, 2003
The Orange County Register - HS1
