Eagles 49 - Edison 3
Santa Margarita can't be stopped by Edison.
The Eagles overwhelm the Chargers, 49-3, in the first round of the Pac-5 playoffs.
LAS FLORES, CA., November 19, 2010 – There was a sign draped across the fence at Tesoro High with the words "We are Welch's Boys of Fall."
Friday night "Welch's Boys" turned in another impressive performance, as Santa Margarita defeated Edison, 49-3, at Tesoro High in a CIF-SS Pac-5 Division first-round game.
"I see that sign, and I can't even say it without getting some emotion in my heart," Welch said. "They have continued to get better, and they're playing well. They are a good little football team."
The victory was the 23rd consecutive playoff victory for Welch, dating back to 2005. The last time a Welch-coached team lost in the playoffs was in 2004.
Edison, which finished second in the Sunset League, ends the season with a 7-4 record.
The Eagles (9-2) scored 28 consecutive points in the first half and never looked back to advance to a second-round showdown with top-seeded Mission Viejo. The Diablos defeated Long Beach Wilson on Friday.
The Eagles won the coin flip and will play host to the Diablos at a site to be determined. Tesoro High will not be available because the Titans will play host to a second-round game.
"We came out focused and fired up and we wanted to win this game," Santa Margarita quarterback Adam Young said. "The game plan was to come out and do what we do. Play the game like it was just a normal game."
Young completed 11 of 12 passes for 284 yards and two touchdown. He also rushed for 83 yards and a score. Young threw both touchdown passes to Logan Sweet, a 47-yard pass in the first quarter and a 54-yard score in the third.
"He's a special young man," Welch said of Young.
The Eagles went on the attack from their first possession. It was a quick drive that certainly set the tone for the rest of the night.
Starting on his 20, Young connected on a 25-yard pass to River Cracraft, followed by a 12-yard run by Cory Thomson and a 14-yard pass to Cracraft to move the ball to the Edison 29. On the next play, Thomson went in from 29 yards. The drive took 1 minute, 5 seconds.
"The kids played well against formidable opponent," Welch said. "A lot of things went our way so we consequently played our best game of the year."
The Eagles closed the first quarter with two more touchdowns, a 4-yard run by Thomson and Young's 34-yard run, in only five plays.
The offense had help thanks to the defensive unit the forced three Edison interceptions. Emmett O'Brien, Colton Christensen and Jeff Emanuel all intercepted passes.
O'Brien's interception set up Young's TD run.
"The interceptions were big, really big," Welch said. "If we don't get them, maybe they score a couple of times and maybe the score is 14-14 or 17-14. By getting those interceptions, it turned the game around."
Defensive lineman Travis Kowalec made his presence felt up front, recording one sack, a tackle for loss and a pass break up.
The Eagles have only allowed two opponents (Tesoro and St. John Bosco) to score over 20 points this season.
Emanuel's interception came early in the third quarter. The Eagles turned that into a 4-yard touchdown run by Thomson for a 35-3 lead.
Thomson finished the game with 73 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
Edison scored on a 41-yard field goal by Gavin Perdomo just before halftime.
| Santa Margarita | 21 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 49 |
| Edison | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
SM – Thomson 29 run (McGrory kick)
SM – Thomson 4 run (McGrory kick)
SM – Young 34 run (McGrory kick)
SM – Sweet 47 pass from Young (McGrory kick)
EDI – Perdomo 41 FG
SM – Thomson 4 run (McGrory kick)
SM – Sweet 54 pass from Young (McGrory kick)
SM – Wolpin 1 run (McGrory kick)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing: EDI - Favreau 17-49; SM - Young 7-86, Thomson 11-73, Wolpin 11-37
Passing: EDI - Favreau 16-30-3-189; SM - Young 11-12-0-284
Receiving: EDI - Provost 9-128; SM - Sweeet 3-122, Cracraft 4-70, Higgins 2-58
By Damian Calhoun
Saturday, November 19, 2010
The Orange County Register
