SHERMAN OAKS - Hunter Steffien had some extra motivation for Saturday night’s CIF-Southern Section Northeast Division football final.

 And so did his teammates.

 Steffien and the Tartans took exception to comments made by Brentwood coach Patrick Brown before the championship that the Eagles’ ineligible running back Manny Benton would be the best running back in the division if he were eligible.

 “That really got me going,” Steffien said. “He challenged me. I just wanted to come out here and show him that you don’t say that stuff. … The rest of the team wanted to show him with me. That’s what was so great about it.”

 Steffien proved his worth, rushing for 248 yards and four touchdowns to help lead the top-seeded Tartans to a 37-6 victory in front of an estimated 2,000 at Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks High.

 St. Margaret’s (14-0) won its second consecutive Northeast crown and completed its second consecutive perfect season to run its winning streak to a county-leading 28 games.

 But unlike their narrow victory last season against Maranatha in the finals, the Tartans dominated the Eagles (12-2).

 Steffien, Orange County’s rushing champion, led the way by carrying the ball 27 times. The senior finished with touchdown runs of 1, 3, 49 and 10 yards against a Brentwood defense that entered the game allowing seven points per game. Brentwood also had posted six shutouts.

 “All Hunter did was put us on his back and lead us to the championship,” said first-year St. Margaret’s coach Harry Welch, who earned his sixth Southern Section divisional title as a head coach (he won five at Canyon of Canyon Country).

 St. Margaret’s racked up 315 yards on the ground. Quarterback Cameron Hiller added 55 yards on 15 carries and also scored on a 3-yard touchdown run.

 Hiller didn’t throw a pass in the second half as the Tartans featured the run and effectively used the option.

 On the opening possession of the second half, Hiller capped a nine-play, 73-yard drive by scoring on an option run.

Early in the fourth quarter, Steffien broke a 49-yard touchdown run on an option that featured three players blocking down field, including Dan Morrison.

 Steffien said the Tartans beefed up the number of option plays for Brentwood.

 “We did run the option more,” Steffien said. “We knew if we just get that end, it was just a matter of me or Cameron breaking it out on the outside.”

 Brown credited the Tartans for their execution against the Eagles’ defense and also praised Steffien. “We hadn’t seen that type of execution,” he said. “He (Steffien) is a good player and he is a sportsman, too.”

 Welch had sprinkling of support from his old school, Canyon of Canyon Country. In the stands on the Tartans’ side of the stadium, a banner was posted in Canyon green letters that read, “We miss you! Coach Welch.”

 Welch guided Canyon to the Division I state title last season and after the Tartans’ win Saturday, he supported the idea of expanding the number of divisions in the state bowl format (currently there are three).

 “There should be a division three, or a four or a five for really the small schools,” he said. “There should be a division somewhere for the little guys to have everyone celebrate them. … This is good football.”

Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com