Eagles 27 - Serra 14
GARDENA, CA., November 11, 2016 – Fresh off back-to-back Trinity League wins over Orange Lutheran and Servite, the Eagles rolled into the first round of the Division 1 playoffs with confidence and swagger, commanding the game and upsetting the host team, Serra, by a score of 27-14. The Eagles played sound offense and tenacious defense, managing 218 passing yards and 181 rushing yards.
Offensively, running back Chad Magyar has steamrolled his way through the last three weeks of the season, rushing for a combined 486 yards and six touchdowns (96 vs. Orange Lutheran, 1 TD; 264 vs. Servite, 2 TD’s; and 126 vs. Serra, 3 TD’s). Mr. All-Purpose, Malone Mataele, is not only a lockdown corner, return specialist, but has made cameos at running back as well and has been effective. Against Orange Lutheran and Servite, Mataele had two touchdowns each and had one against Serra as well. Senior quarterback Richard Wagner was again efficient, completing 10 of 13 (77%) for 195 yards and one touchdown and one interception. Sophomore Munir McClain had two catches for 94 yards, including a long of 82. Magyar got in on the receiving game as well, catching four passes for 61 yards.
Middle linebacker Caden Fitch played like a man possessed, finishing his night with a career high 17 tackles, a performance that earned him OC Varsity Defensive Player of the Week honors. Senior Jadon DiGravio played arguably the best game of his career which came with 12 tackles and a huge fourth down pass break-up.
The Eagles now move on to the second round of the Division 1 playoffs where they will play the Braves of St. John Bosco for the second time this season. In a tale of two halves, last time these two teams faced each other, the Eagles trailed by a score of 13-3 at halftime, before falling to the Braves 47-10. Tonight’s game will be contested at Saddleback College with the Eagles being the designated home team. Kickoff for the game is set for 7:00pm and will be streaming live on the NFHS Network.
| Santa Margarita | 7 | 0 | 13 | 7 | 27 |
| Serra | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
SM – Mataele 16 pass from Wagner (Brady kick)
SM – Smith 20 pass from Eason (Gomez kick)
SM – Magyar 10 run (Brady kick failed)
SM – Magyar 3 run (Brady kick)
SM – Magyar 11 run (Brady kick)
SER – Jackson 14 pass from Eason (Gomez kick)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing: SM - Wagner 2-(-17), Mataele 12-67, Magyar 23-122; Serra - Eason 16-130. Anyanwu 10-18, Torres 7-15
Passing: SM - Wagner 10-13-0-197; Serra - Eason 21-45-1-222
Receiving: SM - McClain 2-94, Mataele 1-17, Magyar 6-92; Serra - Jackson 6-72. Smith 5-81, Malone 4-33
Sean Zeitler
Sports Information Director
Magyar, defense propel Santa Margarita to win over Serra
GARDENA – The first sign of adversity for Santa Margarita surfaced in warmups with Oklahoma commit receiver/tight end Grant Calcaterra running gingerly.
Then Mission League champion Serra of Gardena, with its USC pipeline and seven-game winning streak, ran onto its home field Friday.
But running back Chad Magyar, his physical offensive line and the Eagles’ aggressive defense didn’t blink.
Magyar rushed for 122 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries and the Eagles forced Serra to turn the ball over on downs three times in Santa Margarita’s 27-14 victory in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs.
The Eagles (7-4) won in first-year coach Rich Fisher’s postseason debut and collected their first playoff victory since 2012.
“They say the games you remember are played in November,” Fisher said. “That was our goal. We wanted to get here and we fully expected to come here and get a victory.”
The Eagles did it with a limited Calcaterra, who sprained his knee earlier in the week and finished with one catch.
“It was a tough trip,” said Santa Margarita center Brett Neilon, a USC commit. “I honestly think we have the best coaching staff in America. They get us prepared. … We’ve come a very long way since that Mission game.”
The Eagles dropped their season opener against Mission Viejo, 48-21, but will ride a three-game winning streak into the second round against St. John Bosco, which beat Upland, 47-10.
Neilon combined with fellow offensive linemen Thomas Parker, Matthew Roy, Chris Gonzalez and Chad Matthews to spring holes for Magyar and Malone Mataele (67 yards rushing) against Serra (7-4). Magyar also had six receptions for 92 yards.
“I’m really proud of the offensive line, the way they stepped up and played,” Fisher said. “We’re banged up a little bit. … But overall, first year in the program, for us to get to the playoffs and get a playoff win, we’re super excited.”
Santa Margarita’s defense held on a fourth-and-goal from its 3 on the opening possession of the third quarter as linebacker Jadon Digravio deflected a pass to preserve a 20-7 lead.
Santa Margarita’s Joseph Canty also broke up a pass on fourth down on the first play of the fourth quarter. The Eagles took over at the Serra 45 and drove for a 10-yard TD run by Magyar to open a 27-7 lead with 8:25 left.
Magyar scored twice in the final four minutes of the first half to help Santa Margarita lead, 20-7, at halftime against the ninth-ranked team in the state, according to Cal-Hi Sports.
The junior capped a swift, two-play 85-yard drive with a 3-yard TD run with 1:48 left in the second quarter as the Eagles opened a 20-7 lead. An 82-yard connection between Richard Wagner to Munir McClain set up the score. Wagner’s deep pass found McClain in stride and the sophomore stretched for a slick catch.
Magyar also punctuated an 83-yard drive with an 11-yard TD run with four minutes left in the second quarter. Santa Margarita led, 13-7.
Mataele sparked the drive by breaking a 49-yard run to the Serra 22 on the third play.
Santa Margarita made a key defensive stand before the possession. After Serra recovered a fumble forced by Merlin Robertson at the Eagles’ 42 early in the second quarter, the Eagles held twice. Santa Margarita appeared to have an interception from Mase Funa but received a personal foul on the play.
The Eagles’ defense also helped set up Santa Margarita’s first TD. They forced Serra to turn the ball over on downs on its first possession at the Eagles 40. Five plays later, Mataele scored on a 17-yard TD reception from Wagner for an early 7-0 lead.
Serra has sent about 23 players to USC over the years. Former Mater Dei player John Jackson had six catches for 72 yards at wide receiver, including a 14-yard TD.
By Dan Albano
Saturday, November 12, 2016
The Orange County Register
