Orange Lutheran 28 - Eagles 26
COSTA MESA, CA., September 30, 2022 – Santa Margarita Catholic faced off versus Orange Lutheran to open the Trinity League schedule for both schools. The game was pivotal, as it would have probable impact on the eventual third-place finisher in the league. With St. John Bosco and Mater Dei already penciled in for the top two slots, SMC, OLu and JSerra Catholic were assured to be scratching for a place at the table in Division 1 postseason.
As usual between these two, in an intense see-saw game, the outcome was not determined until within the final minute. Trailing 28-20 with a bit over four minutes to play, the Eagles put together an 80-yard drive to march down field and score a touchdown to make it a two-point game. During the drive, SMCHS converted two crucial fourth-down attempts. After penalties on both teams, the two-point conversion pass from four-yards out was knocked away and SMCHS fell, 28-26.
Turnovers, questionable penalties and two blocked PATs were the difference. The two blocked conversions came back to haunt the Eagles in the end. Jaxon Potter was 24-of-33 (72.7%) for 251 yards and three touchdowns -- all to the crafty Emmett Mosley. It was Mosley’s second-consecutive game with three scores, putting him into second-place in school history already, after just five games played. Potter also ran for a score. At one point, the Alabama-Birmingham commit was successful on 15-straight completions -- a new school record he broke by three. Research also found that Potter completed the final three pass attempts in his previous game at Los Alamitos, making it 18 in succession.
The defense saw linebacker Jacob Bower collected 11 tackles while Judah Moenoa saw his first action. The junior registered five tackles (2 for loss) and one sack. SMCHS will now host No. 14 JSerra Catholic for Homecoming before facing Servite.
| Orange Lutheran | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
| Santa Margarita | 6 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 26 |
SM – Mosley 6 pass from Potter (Schuster kick blocked)
OLU – Barrera 12 run (Kelly kick)
SM – Mosley 28 pass from Potter (Schuster kick blocked)
OLU – Ia 10 pass from Lateef (Kelly kick)
SM – Potter 2 run (Mosley pass from Potter)
OLU – Barrera 2 run (Kelly kick)
OLU – Lateef 1 run (Kelly kick)
SM – Mosley 5 pass from Potter (Potter pass failed)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing: SM - Foye 7-44, Potter 10-32; OLU - Barrera 13-52, Lateef 11-29
Passing: SM - Potter 24-33-1-251; OL - Lateef 18-29-1-156
Receiving: SM - E. Mosley 8-91, Lopez 7-67, T. Mosley 5-64; OLU - Marshall 4-64, Hernandez 4-28
Summary by Chuck Nan
Statistics by Shane Mielke
Orange Lutheran football tops Santa Margarita with big plays from defense, special teams
Jireh Moe thwarts two extra-point attempts for the Lancers in their 28-26 victory Friday
COSTA MESA – Orange Lutheran’s Jireh Moe blocked two extra-point kick attempts that turned out to be critical.
The Lancers defeated Santa Margarita 28-26 in a Trinity League football opener that was not decided until the final seconds.
Orange Lutheran scored a touchdown on a 1-yard lunge by quarterback TJ Lateef with 4:14 remaining to give the Lancers a 28-20 lead.
Santa Margarita, starting at its 20-yard line, converted two fourth downs on a 6-yard run by quarterback Jaxon Potter and a 26-yard pass from Potter to Trent Mosley. Potter threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Emmett Mosley with 17 seconds left to make it 28-26.
Santa Margarita’s attempt for the game-tying two points, after a false start penalty against Santa Margarita and a pass interference call against the Orange Lutheran, was an incomplete pass.
Moe, a 6-foot, 270-pound sophomore interior lineman who became eligible for this game after observing the transfer sit-out period, blocked extra-point attempts in the first and second quarters. He also had a fumble recovery that led to the Lancers’ lead-taking touchdown and, on the final Santa Margarita drive, a sack.
Orange Lutheran, No. 6 in the Orange County rankings, is 5-1. Next week, the Lancers play No. 14 Servite in a Trinity League game at Orange Coast College.
Santa Margarita, No. 5 in the Orange County Top 25, is 4-2 overall. The Eagles will be home game, at Saddleback College, against No. 9 JSerra next week.
Orange Lutheran had a 14-12 lead at halftime.
Santa Margarita took the lead on a 2-yard touchdown run by Taurian Nash that was followed by a 2-point conversion pass from Potter to Emmett Mosley to put the Eagles on top 20-14.
After Moe’s fumble recovery gave the Lancers possession at the Santa Margarita 35 late in the third quarter, Orange Lutheran scored on a 2-yard run by Antonio Barrera.
Dieter Kelly’s point-after kick gave the Lancers a 21-20 lead.
An interception by Orange Lutheran’s Keon Washington, Potter’s first intercepted pass of the season, set up Lateef’s touchdown.
Potter completed 23 of 30 passes for 249 yards and two touchdowns caught by Emmett Mosley who had eight receptions for 106 yards.
Lateef threw for 137 yards and a touchdown. Barrera rushed for two touchdowns.
Santa Margarita scored on its game-opening possession. The Eagles drove 80 yards on 13 plays, with Mosley catching a 6-yard touchdown pass from. Moe blocked the extra-point kick to leave Santa Margarita with a 6-0 lead.
Orange Lutheran’s first possession also was an 80-yard drive on 13 plays for a touchdown. Lancers running back Antonio Barrera got the six points on a 14-yard burst through the middle. Kelly’s extra-point kick gave Orange Lutheran a 7-6 advantage.
Early in the second quarter a perfectly-placed pass from Potter to Emmett Mosley for the over-the-shoulder running catch was good for a 30-yard Santa Margarita touchdown. Moe again blocked the extra-point attempt to keep the Eagles lead to 12-7.
Orange Lutheran sophomore linebacker Wallace Filemu recovered a Santa Margarita fumble at the Eagles 5-yard line. Two plays later Lateef threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to AJ Ia to put Orange Lutheran back on top 14-12 which would be the halftime score.
Santa Margarita defeated Orange Lutheran last season 35-28.
By Steve Fryer
Friday, September 30, 2022
The Orange County Register
