St. Margaret's moves closer to another title

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO - Small-school power St. Margaret’s is a three-time defending Southern Section champion and a favorite to win another title in two weeks. There’s a reason for that. The top-seeded Tartans are good.

Very good.

They flexed their muscles Friday against Aquinas of San Bernardino with a 35-0 victory to advance to the East Valley Division semifinals. After back-to-back home games, the Tartans (11-1) will play their semifinal on the road at Bishop Union, a 29-0 winner over Fillmore.

This was the 65th victory in 67 games for St. Margaret’s (11-1), a powerhouse which had scored at least 60 points four times this season and was averaging 47.

It’s not like the Tartans needed the points to offset a soft defense, either. This was their sixth shutout, and the defense has averaged allowing fewer than eight points per game.

Aquinas (7-4) marched down the field on its first possession, converted a fourth-down play to keep the drive alive, and consumed more than eight minutes, but Alex Saunders was wide on a 32-yard field goal attempt midway through the quarter.

“That set the tone for the rest of the game,” said Mike Schmall, who with fellow linebackers Leo Garcia, John Carpenter and Davis Edwards limited the Falcons offense.

St. Margaret’s scored on all three of its first-half possessions. Its first two drives ended with 1-yard scores by quarterback Brennan Smith and running back John Murayama.

The back-breaker, though, came late in the half. Aquinas connected on a 42-yard pass from Thomas Grossman to Shaquille Gilbert that put the ball at the St. Margaret’s 29, but a bad snap moved the ball back to the 42 and the drive stalled with 1 minute left.

St. Margaret’s needed just 47 seconds to cover 69 yards in five plays with Smith passing 1 yard to Edwards for a 21-0 halftime lead.

Murayama rushed 20 times for 89 yards and touchdowns of 1 and 18 yards, the latter to complete the scoring in the fourth quarter. Smith completed 16 of 21 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns.

The defense did the rest.

“The defense swarmed all over the field and shut out a good team,” St. Margaret’s coach Harry Welch said.