Eagles 56 - Diamond Ranch 0
Santa Margarita delivers in Welch's first game
MISSION VIEJO, CA., September 3, 2010 – A balanced offensive attack and a strong defensive effort helped make Harry Welch’s Santa Margarita coaching debut a rousing success.
Senior quarterback Adam Young passed and ran for two touchdowns in the first half, and the Eagles accumulated 296 total rushing yards, as Santa Margarita opened the season with a dominant, 56-0 non-league victory over Diamond Ranch of Pomona on Friday night at Saddleback College.
“After all the hard work we put in during the offseason, we came into the game pumped up and ready to go,” said Young, who totaled 152 passing yards. “We have a great offensive line that allowed me to make my reads and great all-around receivers.”
The Eagles’ point total was their highest in a game since 1997.
“I was very, very emotional before the game because Santa Margarita has been very supportive of me and I was afraid that I might let them down,” Welch said. “It was only one game, but for one game and one night, it was a very good beginning.”
Santa Margarita (1-0) took control of the game in the early in the first quarter. After a Panthers fumble on their second offensive snap gave the Eagles the ball at the Panthers’ 19-yard line, senior running back Cory Thomson exploded through a hole along the right side, and went untouched into the end zone to give the Eagles a 7-0 lead.
Santa Margarita increased the lead less than three minutes later as senior defensive back Emmett O’Brien outleaped Panthers receiver Marquis Cherry for an interception that helped set up a 23-yard touchdown pass from Young to senior wide receiver Logan Sweet, making it 14-0.
The Eagles defense forced a punt on the Panthers next possession, and the Eagles needed only four plays to up the lead to 21-0, as Young found the end zone on a 2-yard run.
Later in the first quarter, Young tossed a 65-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Reiley Higgins, making it 28-0.
The Panthers’ (0-1) best drive of the half ended late in the second quarter, as O’Brien recovered a fumble at the Eagles 6-yard line. He completed his big night on special teams, blocking a Panthers punt attempt.
Young then closed out the first half scoring on a 13-yard touchdown run.
Santa Margarita would add to the advantage in the opening moments of the third quarter, as Thomson broke free from several Panthers defenders along the right sideline for a 45-yard touchdown run.
Sophomore running back Ryan Wolpin, who totaled a team-high 136 yards, closed the scoring with a one yard touchdown run in the third quarter and a four yard run in the fourth quarter.
| Santa Margarita | 28 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 56 |
| Diamond Ranch | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
SM – Thomson 19 run (McGrory kick)
SM – Sweet 23 pass from Young (McGrory kick)
SM – Young 2 run (McGrory kick)
SM – Higgins 65 pass from Young (McGrory kick)
SM – Young 13 run (McGrory kick)
SM – Thomson 45 run (McGrory kick)
SM – Wolpin 1 run (McGrory kick)
SM – Wolpin 4 run (McGrory kick)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing: SM - Crane 2-14, Thomson 8-110, Wolpin 19-136, Young 4-43; DR - Price 14-48, Carter 1-(-2), ALmond 7-14, Cox 2-2, Carrillo 2-1, Hurtado 3-0, Simpson 1-0
Passing: SM - Young 7-13-0-152; DR - Carrillo 11-15-1-82
Receiving: SM - Thomson 1-13, Sweet 2-60, Higgins 1-65, Emanuel 1-(-3), Cracraft 1-9, Wolpin 1-8; DR - Price 2-10, Almond 2-11, Cherry 5-35, Leon 2-26
By Jason Eichelberger
Saturday, September 4, 2010
The Orange County Register
