Eagles 33 - Centennial 27
MISSION VIEJO, CA., August 28, 2025 – The recurring theme at Friday’s dramatic game versus Centennial (Corona) was that of “firsts.” There were so many firsts to track, but we counted them all:
Firsts from Thursday’s Game vs. Centennial (Corona)
- Career pass reception and touchdown by Ryan Clark
- Career pass reception by Jagger Apt (3 total)
- Career touchdown by Grant Mosley (39 yards)
- Career pass interception returned for a touchdown by Ca’ron “Prime” Williams (80 yards)
- Multi-interception game by Ca’ron “Prime” Williams
- SMCHS touchdown scored by quarterback Trace Johnson
- SMCHS touchdown pass thrown by quarterback Trace Johnson
- Career rushing touchdown by Adrian Petero (Overtime)
- Snap from center by Fletch Palmer -- last play of regulation / kneel down
- SMCHS overtime game played since 2013 -- a loss at Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
- SMCHS overtime game win since 2010 -- at St. John Bosco
- Career high school coaching win for Carson Palmer
- Centennial scored a touchdown on the first play of the game
Offense Shines
Trace Johnson threw two touchdown passes while going on 17-of-25 passing (68.0%) for 209 yards. After establishing a rapport with tight end Luke Gazzaniga last week, this week the connection was with sophomore Ryan Clark who caught seven passes for 78 yards (11.1 average) and a score. Gazzaniga had six receptions for 83 yards (13.8 average). Adrian Petero and Jaion Smith combined to gain 156 yards on the ground. Grant Mosley’s first career visit to the end zone covered 39 yards. SMCHS gained 380 total yards of offense.
Defense Makes Loud Statement
On defense, Simote Katoanga registered 1 1/2 sacks and Leki Holani notched one-half sack to go along with his 10 total tackles. Dash Fifita led all tacklers with 14. The entire Santa Margarita Catholic defense pestered Huskies quarterback Dominic Catalano into three interceptions and a fumble -- all in the first half -- capitalizing for three touchdowns.
Overtime Time
Centennial received on the first possession of overtime. The Huskies failed to convert for any score. The big fourth-down play came from Leki Holani. He was able to bat down Catalano’s pass and thwart the Huskies strive for the end zone.
The ball was then in the Eagles hand to see what they could muster. SMCHS proceeded to run the ball on eight of their nine plays. The winner came freshman running back Adrian Petero who broke three tackles to claw his way into the end zone from the one-yard line for the 33-27 triumph.
SMCHS is now 3-5 all-time in overtime games in the 36-plus seasons of play. The win over Centennial is the second in as many seasons by the Eagles. Many experts contend that both victories were upsets. In each instance, the Huskies were nationally ranked in all the reputable polls.
Record on Hold
Trent Mosley missed the game with an injury. He has 176 career pass receptions for SMCHS. The school record is 178 by Brian Finneran who completed his career in 1993. Mosley will look to zip up the career mark with those three catches needed upon his return to the lineup.
| Santa Margarita | 13 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 33 |
| Centennial | 7 | 0 | 7 | 13 | 0 | 27 |
CEN – George 60 pass from Browne (Walk-Green kick)
SM – Johnson 15 run (kick blocked)
SM – Clark 21 pass from Johnson (Wiegand kick)
SM – Williams 63 interception return (Wiegand kick)
CEN – Davis 3 run (Walk-Green kick)
SM – G. Mosley 39 pass from Johnson (Wiegand kick)
CEN – Plinski 76 pass from Catalano (Walk-Green kick)
CEN – Plinski 43 pass from Catalano (kick blocked)
SM – Petero 1 run
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing: SM - Ja. Smith 21-82, Petero 13-74; CEN - Lewis 14-74, Davis 10-68;
Passing: SM - Johnson 17-25-0-209; CEN - Catalano 16-26-3-233;
Receiving: SM - Clark 7-78, L. Gazzaniga 6-83; CEN - George 5-89, Plinkski 3-123
Summary by Chuck Nan
Statistics by Shane Mielke
Santa Margarita tops Centennial in OT for first win under Carson Palmer
MISSION VIEJO, CA., August 28, 2025 – Carson Palmer, who won plenty of football games when he was Santa Margarita’s quarterback, got his first win Thursday as the school’s football coach.
Adrian Petero’s 1-yard run, with plenty of push from the offensive line, in overtime gave the Eagles a 33-27 win over Centennial in a nonleague game at Trabuco Hills High.
Santa Margarita, ranked No. 3 in the Orange County Top 25, lost to No. 2 Mission Viejo last week 7-3 in Palmer’s debut.
The Eagles took a 27-14 lead into the fourth quarter. Centennial, which beat Servite 42-14 last week, scored two touchdowns in the final quarter, including a 43-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Dominick Catalano to Ty Plinski with 14 seconds left to make it 27-27.
On the Huskies’ point-after attempt, a high snap forced the kick to be was booted into the surging Eagles line to keep the game at 27-27.
The game officials called a roughing the kicker penalty on Santa Margarita on the play. After much discussion, it was ruled that since the kick was blocked the roughing the kicker penalty could not be called.
Centennial got the ball first in overtime. The Huskies failed to convert on fourth down. That gave the ball to the Eagles, who ran the ball on eight of their nine plays in OT. Petero, a freshman, broke free of tackles from the 1-yard line to reach the end zone for the game-winning points.
Palmer said winning as a coach is no different than winning as a player.
“It feels good when you’re a player, it feels good when you’re a coach,” Palmer said. “And the losses hurt the same when you’re a player or a coach.
“I’m proud of the guys. It was a tough game we had taken care of, and we let (Centennial) back in. A lot of lessons for these guys to learn.”
Santa Margarita senior receiver Trent Mosley, an All-Orange County first-team selection as a sophomore and junior, did not play because of a foot injury.
Eagles sophomore Ryan Clark had eight receptions for 79 yards and a touchdown. Junior tight end Luke Gazzaniga had six receptions for 81 yards, including a crucial 7-yard catch for a first down in overtime.
Petero rushed for 103 yards on 11 carries. Senior quarterback Trace Johnson passed for 176 yards.
Eagles sophomore Ca’ron Williams had two interceptions, including one he returned 62 yards for a second-quarter touchdown. Jayden Crowder also had an interception for Santa Margarita.
The Santa Margarita defense made plenty of big plays, led by linebackers Dash Fifita and Alek Holani and defensive lineman Manoah Faupusa and several others.
Also missing from the game was Centennial head coach Matt Logan, who was in a hospital Thursday for precautionary evaluation. Logan reported that he was feeling well and was watching a livestream of the game.
Santa Margarita had a 20-7 lead at halftime. Centennial scored a touchdown in the third quarter on a 3-yard run by Malaki Davis.
The Eagles made it 27-14 on a 39-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to Grant Mosley, a perfectly-placed ball that Mosley grabbed in stride.
Centennial scored on a 77-yard pass from Catalano to Plinski to cut the Eagles’ lead to 27-21 with 2:59 left in the game.
Centennial scored on the game’s first play from scrimmage on a double pass. Catalano threw to his left to Keawe Browne, and Browne heaved the ball downfield to Tyler George, who jogged unchallenged to the end zone for a 7-0 lead.
Santa Margarita scored a touchdown on its first possession, too. Johnson dropped back, saw only covered receivers before sprinting to his right and to the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown run. The point-after kick was blocked, leaving Centennial with a 7-6 lead.
The Eagles went ahead 13-7 with 4:20 left in the first quarter on a 21-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to Clark.
Williams picked off a pass and returned it 62 yards for a touchdown and a 20-7 lead with 46 seconds to go in the second quarter.
In the HSratings.com California rankings Centennial is No. 4 and Santa Margarita is No. 7.
Santa Margarita, which is playing football home games at Trabuco Hills this season, next plays an away game at Highland of Palmdale on Sept. 5.
Centennial plays Utah’s Bingham at home on Sept. 6.
By Steve Fryer
Thursday, August 28, 2025
The Orange County Register
