Murrieta Valley 59 - Eagles 56
Santa Margarita Football Finale with Murrieta Valley ends in a shootout 59-56.
MURRIETA VALLEY, CA., November 10, 2017 – The 2017 Eagle football season came to a close last Friday in the first round of the Division 1 playoffs against Murrieta Valley, 59-56. The Eagle amassed an unprecedented 736 yards of offense, but gave up 500 passing and 214 rushing yards to the Nighthawks who managed to squeak a 40-yard field goal in the final seconds of the game to defeat the Eagles, 59-56. The Eagles headed into the locker room up 28-14 but were outscored in the third quarter 28-7. Senior quarterback Josiah Norwood completed 22 of 28 passes (79%) for 266 yards with one touchdown and one interception to end the first half. Norwood distributed the ball to eight different receivers, six of which went to Malone Mataele for 78 yards and six more to Mark Eaton for 62 yards. The bulk of the offensive yards come via the ground game, as Chad Magyar would rush the ball 22 times for 200 yards and three touchdowns. Norwood carried the ball 11 times for 128 yards and a touchdown with Mataele carrying the ball 11 times for 61 yards and three touchdowns of his own. Defensively, the Eagles struggled all night to cover the Nighthawk's biggest threat, receiver Marquis Spiker. Spiker had a career night, catching 13 passes for 298 yards and four touchdowns. When Spiker wasn't on the receiving end, it was Jordan Murry who ended his night with nine catches for 124 yards.
Senior linebacker Caden Fitch had a game-high 16 tackles, eight solo and eight assisted. Sean Toohey closed out his night and his career with 13 tacklers of his own, four solo and nine assisted. Dylan Brady was six of seven on PAT'S.
CALL IT A CAREER: Senior Chad Magyar was a sight to see these past two years. For his efforts, his name has been etched into the record books amongst some of the best to ever put on their wings.
* Most Consecutive 100-yard Games: 5, tied with four other Eagles)
* Most Yards Receiving by a RB in a Game: 136 (@ St. John Bosco 2017)
* Most Yards Receiving by a RB in a Season: 578
* Most Yards Receiving by a RB in a Career: 946
* Most Receptions by a RB in a Season: 42
* Most Receptions by a RB in a Career: 80
Josiah Norwood added a few records of his own, including highest completion percentage in a season (min. 110 attempts), 67.2% which is also highest in a career with a minimum of 200 attempts.
Dylan Brady is now tied with three other Eagles for most field goals in a game (3) and has the record for longest field goal attempt and make with his 55 yarder against Alemany, amongst several other records.
| Murrieta Valley | 14 | 0 | 28 | 17 | 59 |
| Santa Margarita | 14 | 14 | 7 | 21 | 56 |
MV – Brown 28 pass from Bachmeier (Williams kick)
SM – Mataele 10 run (Brady kick)
MV – Spiker 55 pass from Bachmeier (Williams kick)
SM – Magyar 33 run (Brady kick)
SM – Magyar 1 run (Brady kick)
SM – Ebach 16 pass from Norwood (Brady kick)
MV – Bachmeier 4 run (Williams kick)
MV – Spiker 21 pass from Dillon (Williams kick)
SM – Magyar 8 run (Brady kick)
MV – Spiker 34 pass from Bachmeier (Williams kick)
MV – Bachmeier 4 run (Williams kick)
SM – Mataele 5 run (Brady kick blocked)
MV – Bachmeier 13 run (Williams kick)
SM – Mataele 1 run (Mataele pass from Norwood)
MV – Spiker 28 pass from Bachmeier (Williams kick)
SM – Norwood 4 run (Brady kick)
MV – Williams 45 FG
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing: MV - Bachmeier 13-131, Johnson 14-77; Magyar 22-209, Norwood 11-128
Passing: MV - Bachmeier 27-42-0-479; SM - Norwood 22-28-1-266
Receiving: MV - Spiker 13-298, Murray 9-124; SM - Mataele 6-78, Eaton 6-62
Sean Zeitler
Sports Information Director
Santa Margarita falls to Murrieta Valley in wild, high-scoring battle
MURRIETA – In a game that featured 16 touchdowns, it came down to a field goal, and Murrieta Valley kicker Cody Williams answered.
Williams drilled a 45-yard field goal with two seconds remaining, lifting the host Nighthawks to a 59-56 victory over Santa Margarita in a CIF-SS Division 1 opening-round playoff game Friday night.
“We were very confident coming in. We were a huge underdog, but we didn’t feel like that,” said Murrieta Valley coach George Wilson.
Nighthawks senior receiver Marquis Spiker hauled in 13 receptions for 284 yards and 4 touchdowns. His 55-yard score from quarterback Hank Bachmeier in the first quarter gave him a state record 67 career receiving touchdowns, breaking Earvin Johnson’s record set in 2000 at Los Angeles Cathedral.
With the game tied at 14 at the end of the first quarter, Santa Margarita (7-4) scored on consecutive drives, a 1-yard touchdown run by Chad Magyar and a 16-yard pass from quarterback Josiah Norwood to Jake Ebach to give the Eagles a 28-14 halftime lead.
But the Nighthawks scored four touchdowns in the third quarter to take a 42-35 lead.
Murrieta Valley (9-2) scored on its opening drive of the third quarter on a Bachmeier 4-yard touchdown run, and after recovering an Eagle fumble, Spiker caught a 21-yard touchdown from Liam Dillon on a double pass.
Santa Margarita took a 35-28 lead on Magyar’s 8-yard run, but the Nighthawks scored two touchdowns in the final two minutes of the third quarter to take a 42-35 lead.
In the fourth quarter, Eagles running back Malone Mataele scored two touchdowns and added a two-point reception from Norwood as Santa Margarita tied the game at 49.
Murrieta Valley then regained the lead on a 28-yard Bachmeier to Spiker touchdown, but the Eagles tied it with 1:15 left on Norwood’s 4-yard score.
That set up the final drive that led to Williams field goal which sends the Nighthawks into the quarterfinals.
Bachmeier ended the night completing 26 of 42 passes for 455 yards and four TDs. He also rushed for three scores.
The Eagles were led by Magyar, who gained 202 yards on 23 carries and three touchdowns. Santa Margarita amassed 727 yards on offense.
By Gregg Williams
Friday, November 10, 2017
The Orange County Register
