St. Margaret's caps championship run

ONTARIO - With another lofty place in Orange County football lore hanging in the balance, St.Margaret's responded like a champion Saturday night.

Or as St. Margaret's coach Harry Welch later said, "They responded like Tartans."

St. Margaret's found itself in a surprisingly tight game against host Ontario Christian late in the CIF-SS East Valley Division championship.

But with the score tied late in the third quarter, the top-seeded Tartans drove for a 10-yard touchdown run by running back John Murayama and then made the defensive stops to capture a county-record fourth consecutive Southern Section crown with a 12-6 victory.

Several of the Tartans celebrated likely their final game of the season by sliding on their bellies into the mud-covered portion of the field.

Then in the team photograph, they proudly held up four fingers — one for each title.

"There was pressure but we really wanted to come out on top," said Murayama, who rushed for 119 yards on 19 carries.

In a nonleague game here earlier in the season, St. Margaret's (13-1) defeated the Knights, 42-0. But in that game, Ontario Christian (7-7) played without starting players in eight positions.

The Knights tied the score, 6-6, with 3:18 left in the third quarter on a 7-yard touchdown pass by junior quarterback Kyle Ellis to junior Matt Struiksma. Brennan Smith — a quarterback who also specializes in blocking extra points and field goals — knocked down the PAT.

Ontario Christian started its drive at its 23 and used a roughing the punter penalty on the Tartans to keep it going. The Knights also converted a fourth-and-2 to the Tartans 37 with a run by Andres Gil, one of the starters who didn't play the first time.

But St. Margaret's responded with a 53-yard scoring drive after Mike Schmall returned the low kickoff 17 yards. Murayama scored on an option run to his right on the second play of the fourth quarter.

The Tartans also converted a huge fourth-down play to keep their drive alive. On a fourth-and-2 from the Knights 34, Smith appeared to be going down short of the first down but he pitched the ball at the last second to Murayama, who sprinted for a 14-yard gain.

The Tartans missed the extra point but Ontario Christian kept charging. The Knights recovered fumbles in the final eight minutes at their 48 and the Tartans 39, but the St. Margaret's defense held. On the last stand, Leo Garcia recovered a fumble at his 36 with 3:07 left. The Tartans then ran out the clock but they were quick to praise the Knights.

"We were proud to be on the field with (you)," Welch told the Knights in the awards ceremony. "This was an even affair."

St. Margaret's led, 6-0, at halftime. The Tartans used a 27-yard punt return by Davis Edwards to Ontario Christian's 25 late in the first quarter to set up the score. Three plays later, J.T. Carpenter scored from 8 yards on an inside handoff to give the Tartans a 6-0 lead less than a minute into the second quarter. The PAT failed.

Ontario Christian made the first big play of the game. On the Knights' second possession, Gil broke a 62-yard run to the St.Margaret's 10.

Defensive back Matt Duenes saved a touchdown by tackling Gil.

The Knights' then hurt themselves with a holding penalty. Cristobal Pacheco ended up attempting a 33-yard field goal but Smith blocked it as the Tartans' defense held.

Welch has now captured eight CIF section titles – three with the Tartans and five at Canyon of Canyon Country. He also has guided both programs to state titles - which gives him 10 major titles. But Welch said it’s unlikely that the Tartans will receive a return bid to the CIF State small-school bowl. The announcement will be made Sunday and the favorite is Parker of San Diego, which handed the Tartans their only defeat, 28-20.

But St. Margaret’s had plenty to celebrate Saturday.

“They were champions and have been champions,” Welch said. “The seniors have won four consecutive CIF championships. It’s something that we’re all going to be so very proud of.”