Santa Margarita storms to state title

CARSON – Johnny Stanton directed one last comeback Friday night, and this one lifted Santa Margarita to a state championship.

The junior quarterback scored on a 1-yard dive on fourth down with 16 seconds to lift the Eagles past Bellarmine of San Jose, 42-37, in the CIF State Division 1 bowl championship at Home Depot Center.

Stanton guided Santa Margarita (13-2) on an 80-yard scoring drive in the final 1:46 of the fourth quarter. On the drive, he completed two key passes and broke 22-yard run on a draw to the Bells 9 with 1:03 remaining.

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Bellarmine (12-2) held Stanton on his 2-point conversion but a sack near midfield by Santa Margarita defensive lineman Mack Pierson ended the game and sealed a third state bowl victory for Eagles coach Harry Welch.

Welch also claimed state bowl victories with St. Margaret's and Canyon of Canyon Country.

"Our team has shown so much resiliency throughout this whole season, especially the playoffs," Stanton said. "Mission game, San Clemente game and this game. It's just a dream come true, having those three games back-to-back-to-back."

In a 21-20 victory against Mission Viejo in the semifinals, Stanton directed a fourth-quarter comeback and scored on a late, 1-yard dive similar to one that beat Bellarmine. The Eagles also rallied in the first half against San Clemente to claim the Pac-5 final.

"That was incredible," Welch said of Friday's comeback. "All the words that people say - that you want to hear - they demonstrated that tonight. Character. Class. Staying together. They believed in one another. They executed the offense. They just showed so much poise."

On the Eagles' final drive Friday, Stanton lofted a 2-and-10 pass to wide receiver River Cracraft for a 36-yard gain. Cracraft caught the ball near midfield and recovered his fumble at the Bellarmine 44 with 1:29 left. Two plays later, Stanton zipped a pass to Cracraft on a short crossing pattern, moving the ball to 31 with 1:14 left.

Stanton's draw powered the Eagles to the Bellarmine 9 with 1:03 remaining but the Eagles still had work left. Three running plays left Santa Margarita with a fourth-and-goal at the 1 in the closing seconds. The Eagles called time out with 17 seconds left.

Field goal or go for it? That was the decision.

"We ain't going to kick it -- what the (heck)," Santa Margarita assistant coach Marty Spalding said. "Let's run it in."

And that's what Stanton did - stretching the ball over the top of the pile and into the end zone.

"You've got Johnny Stanton who is so, so powerful and undeniable," Spalding said. "And the offensive line is the best."

Stanton finished with state bowl record-tying four touchdown passes and ran for two more. He completed 14 of 25 passes for 309 yards and also rushed for 69 yards on 20 carries.

Bellarmine took a 37-36 lead with 1:46 left on a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Justin Taliaferro. The score and extra-point by Travis McHugh came after a juggling reception by Joe Gigantino sparked the Bells' 13-play, 74-yard drive.

"Never played a team like that," said Cracraft, who finished with eight receptions for a Division 1 bowl-record 187 yards. "That's great team over there. I'm happy with the results."

The Pac-5 Division champion Eagles were pushed so hard, they had to rally twice in the fourth quarter.

They first had to make up a 30-21 deficit early in the fourth period.

But Santa Margarita scored twice during a one-minute stretch of the final period to not only make up the deficit but take a short-lived lead.

Stanton scored with a 1-yard touchdown run with 6:52 left in the fourth quarter and added a 2-point conversion as the Eagles took a 36-30 lead.

Stanton's score came after Santa Margarita linebacker Matt Andersen intercepted McHugh at the Bells 17 and returned the ball to the 1 with 6:55 left.

"Humongous," Welch said of Andersen interception. "We had so many mistakes. It was as if we're trying so hard, we keep making mistakes and they're not making them. And then, oh, my, gosh. I went, 'They made one. They made one. ... There's hope. There's hope.' "

Santa Margarita trailed, 30-21, when it took possession at its 20 with 9:45 left in the fourth quarter. Stanton capped an eight-play, 80-yard drive with a 32-yard touchdown pass to Connor O'Brien with 7:52 left. The score trimmed Bellarmine's lead to 30-28, and set the stage for Andersen's interception.

Bellarmine took a 24-21 lead into the fourth quarter and scored 2:10 into the period to make it a two-score game. Taliaferro capped a quick, 53-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown run to take a 30-21 lead. The extra point failed.

The second half didn't open well for Santa Margarita. A penalty on the kickoff wiped out much of a 57-yard return by the Eagles' Ryan Wolpin. Santa Margarita was whistled for another penalty before Gigantino sacked Stanton on his 4.

After a near-safety, Santa Margarita's John McGrory blasted a 57-yard punt, but Bellarmine kept the pressure on. The Bells drove for a 24-yard field goal by McHugh to take a 24-21 lead with 6:25 left in the third.

Santa Margarita's defense forced the field goal after Bellarmine had earned a first-and-goal at the Eagles 7.

Santa Margarita's defense also came up big after the Eagles lost their third fumble on their next possession. Bellarmine recovered a fumble at the Santa Margarita 37 but the Eagles' forced a three-and-out.

In the first half, Bellarmine capitalized on an early fumble by Santa Margarita to take a 7-0 lead about three minutes into the opening quarter. On their first possession, the Eagles lost a fumble at their 18. Two plays later, Bellarmine running back Conner Jauch took an option pitch from McHugh and sprinted into the corner of the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown run.

Santa Margarita offered a swift response. Stanton capped a seven-play, 80-yard drive with a 31-yard touchdown pass to Cracraft with 6:52 left in the opening frame.

Santa Margarita then received a spark from its defense. Cornerback Konner Kafentzis tackled running back Tim Crawley short of a first down on a fourth-and-4 from the Eagles 35 with 3:31 left in the first quarter.

Stanton stayed hot on the ensuing possession. He connected with Wolpin for a 33-yard gain. Two plays later, Stanton scrambled, stepped up in the pocket and threw a 41-yard scoring strike to wide receiver Sean Modster with 2:18 left in the first period. McGrory kicked the extra point as Santa Margarita took a 14-7 lead.

But Bellarmine succeed on its next fourth-down attempt and tied the score early in the second quarter. McHugh broke a 46-yard touchdown run on a fourth-and-short to knot the score, 14-14, less than a minute into the second. McHugh faked a pitch before breaking through the line of scrimmage.

Like Stanton, McHugh showed plenty of burst to finish the run.

"(McHugh) is a man," Welch said of a senior, who finished with 152 yards rushing and 165 passing. "He's fast. He's tough, and he runs that (double-wing) offense so well."

Stanton and Santa Margarita's offense had another response. The Eagles chewed up the next 4:38 in driving for a 9-yard touchdown pass by Stanton to Cracraft.

Santa Margarita ran 12 plays in opening a 21-14 lead and showed some of its trademark, methodical offense.

But Bellarmine kept pace on its next possession. The left-handed McHugh rolled to his right and tossed a 40-yard touchdown pass to Jauch to tie the score, 21-21, with 3:15 left in the first half.

The offensive shootout was on, but Bellarmine forced a second turnover before halftime. The Eagles lost a fumble at their 39 with 1:51 left in the second quarter but Bellarmine couldn't capitalize. The Bells drove to the Eagles 9 before time expired.

Santa Margarita finished with 407 yards offense while Bellarmine had 401. Santa Margarita linebacker Sammy Gibbs finished with a Division 1 state bowl-record 16 total tackles, including seven solo.

Friday also marked the final game for Spalding, 64. The legendary offensive line coach said he decided retire to spend time and travel with his wife, Pam.

"I end my career with the biggest prize possible," said Spalding, who was part of CIF titles at El Toro, Mission Viejo and Laguna Hills. "That's special."

And the comeback by Santa Margarita on Friday night also seemed fitting for a program that was 3-7 in 2009, the season before the arrival of Harry Welch.

"Who would have thought (this was possible) two years ago," Welch said. "We tried so hard tonight. So hard. And we didn't play our best game but in a way, it was really fitting that we came from so far back at the end when we needed to and won the state championship. ... We're state champions and we earned it."