Eagles 38 - FoothiLl 12
MISSION VIEJO, CA., October 8, 2004 – Santa Margarita used solid efforts on offense, defense and special teams to build a 24-0 fourth quarter lead before coasting a convincing 38-12 win over the Foothill Knights before 4,000 fans on Homecoming. The win avenged a disappointing 35-28 loss the Knights in the 1992 CIF Playoffs an improved the Eagles to 3-2 heading into Serra League play. The loss dropped the Knights to 2-3.
The Eagles wasted little time in taking control of the game. The hosts forced a punt on the Knights opening possession and went on an 11-play drive before it stalled on the visitors 15. Mike Fowle’s 32-yard field goal was missed due to the ball slipping off the tee otherwise it was a relatively mistake free night. Sean Aldridge intercepted a Knight pass on their next possession and this time the Eagles capitalized. Omar Villamar (18 carries for 79 yards) picked up a first down and Ryan Maxwell took a reverse and gained 21 yards before Jon Daniels found Kyle Bryant on a slant for a 14-yard touchdown and 7-0 lead at the 8:14 mark of the second quarter. Aldridge’s sack ended the Knights next drive and a short punt gave the Eagles great field position on the Knight 37. Daniels (10 of 14 for 99 yards) hit Bryant for 14 yards to the 20 and two plays later Russell Hoeflich picked up a first and goal at the nine. Hoeflich then toted the ball three straight times with the last one from two yards out to make it 14-0 with 2:55 remaining in the half. On their next possession the Knights inexplicably went for it on fourth-and-two from their own 44. After getting stuffed the Eagles were victimized by a sack and incomplete pass and had to punt with 1:10 remaining. Matt Steinback picked off a pass and raced 54 yards down the sideline to give the Eagles a first down on the 11 with 37 seconds left. On the very next play Daniels found fellow junior Jacob Gordon (four receptions for 37 yards) for the score to make it 21-0 at the break.
| Santa Margarita | 0 | 21 | 3 | 14 | 38 |
| Foothill | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 12 |
SM – Bryant 14 pass from Daniels (Fowle kick)
SM – Villamar 2 run (Fowle kick)
SM – Gordon 11 pass from Daniels (Fowle kick)
SM – Fowle 34 FG
FOOT – Liti 3 run (pass failed)
SM – Villamar 3 run (Fowle kick)
SM – Dawson 32 blocked punt return (Fowle kick)
FOOT – Leffel 9 run (pass failed)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing: FOOT - Leffel 16-99, Liti 10-60; SM - Villamar 19-81, Hoeflich, 10-60
Passing: FOOT - Kirkpatrick 11-21-2-76; SM - Daniels, 10-14-0-99
Receiving: FOOT - Fosberg 3-16, Leffel 2-23; SM - Gordon 4-37, Bryant 2-28
By Adrian Peters
Sports Information Director
Santa Margarita does convincing job, 38-12
MISSION VIEJO – Santa Margarita coach Mike Jacot wanted his team to build some more momentum to take into Serra League play, and that's what the Eagles delivered Friday.
Santa Margarita posted its most convincing victory of the season, a 38-12 triumph against Foothill in a nonleague game in front of an estimated 3,500 at Saddleback College.
Santa Margarita edged Fountain Valley, 27-20, last week and opens Serra League play next Friday against Mater Dei at Saddleback College at 7:30 p.m.
"We needed a convincing win," said Jacot, whose squad improved to 3-2. "We had an overtime win last week, but we needed a convincing win ... which we got tonight."
Santa Margarita scored three second-quarter touchdowns to lead at halftime, 21-0, and made it 24-0 with 5:43 left in the third quarter on kicker Mike Fowle's 34-yard field goal.
Santa Margarita excelled in the first half on defense and in the second half on special teams.
Santa Margarita middle linebacker Sean Aldridge intercepted a fourth-down pass at his 41 six seconds into the second quarter. That led to Jon Daniels' 14-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Bryant to give the Eagles a 7-0 lead.
On Foothill's next possession, Alridge's sack on third down pinned the Knights (2-3) at their 18. After a 19-yard punt, Santa Margarita marched for another score, getting a 2-yard touchdown run on third-and-goal from senior running back Omar Villamar with 2:55 left in the first half.
Santa Margarita forced another turnover before halftime as safety Matt Steinbach intercepted a pass at his 35 and returned it 54 yards down the sideline to the Knights' 11 with 37 seconds left.
On the next play, Daniels threw a touchdown pass to Jacob Gordon as the Eagles took a 21-0 lead.
In the fourth quarter, Santa Margarita's J.D. Dawson blocked a punt from Foothill's 32 and returned it for the Eagles' final touchdown.
Foothill got on the scoreboard in the third quarter with a 70-yard, 14-play drive that included a pair of fourth-down conversions.
The Knights play Newport Harbor next week in a key Sea View League game.
"We're struggling executing down the field on offense and defense," Foothill coach Doug Case said.
Santa Margarita's backfield duo of Villamar (5-foot-7, 165 pounds) and Russell Hoeflich (5-9, 165) combined for 139 yards rushing. Like the rest of Santa Margarita's squad, they're not too big but they produced Friday.
Santa Margarita outgained Foothill, 272-260.
By Dan Albano
Saturday, October 9, 2004
The Orange County Register
