Santa Margarita regains swagger in explosive win

ML King's Dante Anderson finds an opening in the Santa Margairta defense and makes a break for the sideline during Friday's game at Saddleback College.
Santa Margarita's Darian Fernandez eludes ML King's Dillon Burmeister while returning a kick during the Eagles' 56-7 nonleague victory Friday night at Saddleback College.
ML King's Brad Garza latches onto Santa Margarita's Trey Green and brings him down from behind during Friday's game at Saddleback College.
ML King's Brad Garza leads a gang tackle attempt on Santa Margarita's Trey Green during Friday's game at Saddleback College.
ML King's Chris Venable escapes a diving tackle attempt from the Santa Margarita secondary during Friday's game at Saddleback College.
Santa Margarita's JP Hackett defelects a pass intended for ML King's Dante Anderson during Friday's game at Saddleback College.
Santa Margarita's Jp Hackett and Dylan Crawford celebrate Hackett's pass deflection during Friday's game against ML King at Saddleback College.
ML King's Bradley Kleven bobbles a snap, as Santa Margarita's Jake Delaney makes his way into the backfield during Friday's game at Saddleback College.
Santa Margarita running back Trey Green fumbles the ball, though the Eagles retained possession, during Friday's game against ML King at Saddleback College.
Members of the Santa Margarita band march their way onto the field before Friday's game between Santa Margarita and ML King at Saddleback College.
Stephanie Webb waves a flag as she leads the Santa Margarita football team onto the field before Friday's game against ML King at Saddleback College.
The ML King wolf mascot finds himself a cheerleader to lean on during a timeout in the second quarter of Friday's game against Santa Margaita at Saddleback College.
ML King players watch film of the previous drive during the first quarter of Friday's game against Santa Margarita at Saddleback College.
Santa Margarita fans, including a pope look-alike, get fired up for the opening kickoff of Friday's game against ML King of Riverside at Saddleback College.

By Andrew Turner | Orange County Register

September 26, 2015 at 12:22 a.m.

MISSION VIEJO – In its final tuneup before Trinity League play, Santa Margarita provided a showcase of the explosiveness that is going to make it a contender.

The third-ranked Eagles scored 36 points in the second quarter Friday night, as they rolled past ML King of Riverside, 56-7, in a nonleague game at Saddleback College.

Santa Margarita (4-1) scored every time it had the ball, and even when it didn’t, through the first three quarters. KJ Costello threw for 204 yards, twice connecting with Grant Calcaterra for touchdowns, while also adding a rushing score.

Dylan Crawford led the Eagles with 102 receiving yards, and Trey Green added 78 yards with a pair of scores.

Though the Eagles found the red zone early and often, penalties (10 for 100 yards in the first half) forced Santa Margarita to settle for two Sam Loy field goals in the first quarter. Bradley Kleven’s 52-yard TD strike to Dante Anderson gave ML King a 7-6 lead after the first period.

Santa Margarita took the lead when Green’s first score put the Eagles ahead, 13-7, early in the second quarter. Perhaps the game’s most pivotal play came on the ensuing drive.

With the Wolves (2-2) working inside the Eagles’ 30, Tanner Matthews intercepted Kleven over the middle, returning the ball down the left sideline for a 78-yard score.

“First of all, I’m known as ‘Tackle Hands’ on the team, so the fact that I caught it was pretty amazing in itself,” Matthews said of his first career touchdown. “I was like, ‘Oh my God, I actually scored.’”

The Eagles offense struck for three more touchdowns in the final 5:08 of the half, including a dazzling two-minute drill that ended with Costello’s 27-yard touchdown pass to Calcaterra.

“I really feel like in a way, we got our swagger back as an offense,” Costello said. “I have four of the best wideouts in the Trinity League, and I want to use them.

“We used everything that we have tonight.”

Following a loss to Westlake last week, Eagles coach Rick Curtis said it was critical that his team bounced back.

“We got knocked down a little bit to Earth last week,” Curtis said. “We just said that might have been a blessing in disguise for us. We have to work harder, and we have to be ready for games.”