Servite 30 - Eagles 14
Friars Stay In Hunt. Win Keeps Friars Alive In Trinity League
NORWALK, CA., October 18, 2013 – The calendar read Week 7, but Servite viewed Friday's Trinity League showdown against Santa Margarita as an elimination game.
"It's a playoff game because dropping one more (game) in the Trinity League is a death sentence," Servite coach A.J. Gass said before the game.
No. 3 Servite stayed alive in the Pac-5 Division playoff race and bounced back from a loss to rival Mater Dei by defeating No. 5 Santa Margarita, 30-14, at Cerritos College.
The Friars (4-3, 1-1) remedied their penchant for slow starts by scoring the first 17 points.
They followed junior quarterback Travis Waller, who dazzled with his passing in the first half and his running in the second half.
Waller passed for two touchdowns in the first half to wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown and scored on runs of 80 and 21 yards in the second half.
Waller finished with 187 yards rushing on 22 carries and passed for another 124.
Servite also received a spark from the return of defensive back Maurice Davison, who had two interceptions.
The Friars needed both performances because they dropped their league opener and still have to play undefeated St. John Bosco (7-0, 2-0) among others. Santa Margarita fell to 3-4, 0-2 and still plays undefeated Mater Dei among others.
"This is a big game," Waller said. "Our main incentive was we don't want to leave it up to the (playoff) committee to decide if we make it to the playoffs or not."
Waller capped his first half by driving the Friars 86 yards in the final 2:04 for a 2-yard TD pass to St. Brown with 7 seconds left. The score and extra point by Patrick Flynn put Servite up, 17-0. Waller finished the first half 11 for 16 passing for 114 yards, in| cluding well-thrown, 31-yard TD pass to St. Brown early in the second quarter.
But Santa Margarita inserted wide receiver Kyle Sweet at quarterback to start the second half and the junior and running Jeremy McNichols ignited the Eagles' offense.
Sweet scored on a 10-yard run in the third and McNichols bolted around the edge for a 25-yard TD run with 6:28 left in the fourth as the Eagles cut the Friars' lead to 17-14.
But after McNichols' run, Waller showed his speed by breaking an 80-yard TD run to give the Friars a 23-14 lead (the PAT failed) with 6:13 left.
| Servite | 0 | 17 | 0 | 13 | 30 |
| Santa Margarita | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
SER – St. Brown 31 pass from Wailer (Flynn kick)
SER – Flynn 27 FG
SER – St. Brown 2 pass from Waller (Flynn kick)
SM – Sweet 10 run (Ury kick)
SM – McNichols 25 run (Ury kick)
SER – Waller 80 run (Flynn kick failed)
SER – Waller 21 run (Flynn kick)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing: SM - Sweet 15-71, McNichols 16-101; Ser - Lopiccola 9-49, Waller 22-187
Passing: SM - Sweet 11-16-1-105; Ser - Waller 12-19-0-124
Receiving: SM - LaBonty 3-29, McNichols 4-30; Ser - Brown 5-54, St. Brown 4-60
By Dan Albano
Saturday, October 19, 2013
The Orange County Register - Varsity 1
