CHATSWORTH, California, Nov. 14 — Friday night's matchup between the No. 17 Santa Margarita [Rancho Santa Margarita, CA] Eagles and the No. 10/SN No. 11 Sierra Canyon [Chatsworth, CA] Trailblazers featured the top two defenses in California's Southern Section Division 1 playoffs.
And one of them finally cracked as Santa Margarita escaped Chatsworth with a 21-9 upset on the road in AllSportsPeople High School Football Game of the Week.
Santa Margarita's own defense turned back several deep drives by Sierra Canyon in the first half, and the Trailblazers missed two out of three field goals, including one that was blocked by the Eagles. Still, the hosts led 3-0 at that point, but while the visitors' defense bent, it was the Trailblazers' defense that finally broke just before halftime. That's when Santa Margarita quarterback Trace Johnson found Ryan Clark on a 33-yard strike for a 7-3 lead, and Sierra Canyon was content at that point to run out the clock and regroup.
It appeared to be a successful strategy when the Trailblazers emerged from the lockers at halftime with a quick touchdown drive to regain the lead around the nine-minute mark of the third quarter. But then a defense that had only yielded 43 points all season while registering five shutouts broke again. This time it came via a bit of trickery on a double-reverse flea flicker as Johnson found Clark in the end zone again for another long scoring trike.
Leading 14-9 at that point, the momentum had clearly shifted, and after forcing Sierra Canyon to punt from its own end zone following a three-and-out, the Eagles' Swiss Army knife – aka, Trent Mosley – took over. He returned the punt 28 yards inside Sierra Canyon's 10-yard line, and one play later, he took it in from the Wildcat formation to put Santa Margarita up 21-9.
That would prove to be the final margin after a scoreless fourth quarter, and Santa Margarita now advances to the CIF Southern Section Division 1 semifinals to face the unranked Orange [CA] Lutheran Lancers, a surprise winner in a huge 20-19 upset over the nation's No. 3 St. John Bosco [Bellflower, CA] Braves.
To say it was a wild and crazy night in the Golden State would be the understatement of the year, but a couple of familiar names still occupy the other side of the bracket as the Mater Dei [Santa Ana, CA] Monarchs will face off against the Centennial [Corona, CA] Huskies on the other side of the bracket.
WATCH: No. 17 Santa Margarita at No. 10/SN No. 11 Sierra Canyon
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FINAL — Santa Margarita 21, Sierra Canyon 9
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|| THIRD QUARTER ||
Sierra Canyon goes for a fourth down near midfield, but that tough Santa Margarita defense is up to the challenge again. The Eagles take over with good field position.
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A big momentum shift after the Santa Margarita touchdown. The Eagles forces a three and out, and Sierra Canyon punts from its own end zone. Trent Mosley returns the punt 28 yards inside Sierra's 10 yard line. On the next play, he carries it in for the score. It's hard not to look at those missed opportunities in the first half now and think of how that is affecting the game. It could be a one-score game.
3RD QTR — Santa Margarita 21, Sierra Canyon 9
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A little trickery from Santa Margarita as they pull off a double-reverse flea flicker, and Johnson finds Clark for another long touchdown throw.
3RD QTR — Santa Margarita 14, Sierra Canyon 9
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Sierra Canyon surges back into the lead with a touchdown, but they fail to convert the PAT. That could be big in a tight game like this.
3RD QTR — Sierra Canyon 9, Santa Margarita 7
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And the third quarter is under way.
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|| SECOND QUARTER ||
And that's your first half.
HALFTIME — Santa Margarita 7, Sierra Canyon 3
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Johnson finds Clark on a 33-yard strike, and suddenly Santa Margarita is in the lead. This is their formula; play stingy defense and score just enough to win games.
2ND QTR — Santa Margarita 7, Sierra Canyon 3
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With 2:34 to play in the first half, Santa Margarita gets another stop, and Sierra Canyon misses a 42-yard field goal wide right. The Eagles' offense has done nothing, but their defense is standing up as it always does.
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Santa Margarita intercepts the ball in the end zone! Sierra Canyon is leaving a lot of points on the field so far.
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We've finally got the game's first point as Sierra Canyon knocks home a field goal after the earlier blocked attempt.
1ST QTR — Sierra Canyon 3, Santa Margarita 0
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First play of the second quarter, and Santa Margarita blocks a 38-yard field goal attempt by Sierra Canyon.
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|| FIRST QUARTER ||
And that's your first quarter. They're still scoreless in Chatsworth.
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Third and long, and Santa Margarita gets a sack! Both these teams specialize in plays behind the line. Timeout Sierra Canyon.
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Santa Margarita got a stop on fourth down, but got called for interference. Sierra Canyon with a first down on Santa Margarita's 12.
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Sierra Canyon on the move inside Santa Margarita's 30.
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They're under way in Chatsworth!
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Coming soon!
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