St. Margaret's defense is the star of the show

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO - Throughout St. Margaret's run to a third consecutive CIF championship and a place in county history, much of the attention was focused on the Tartans' prolific offense.

However, with the stakes at their highest, it was the Tartans' defense that enjoyed perhaps its finest hour, helping St. Margaret's grind out a 17-3 victory over Twentynine Palms in the CIF-SS East Valley championship game on Saturday night.

The victory was the Tartans' 42nd in a row, and it officially crowned them as the county's new standard for winning excellence. St. Margaret's surpassed Mission Viejo's run of 41 consecutive victories from 2001-03.

"We always want to come out a send a message that the other team can't score on us,"  senior defensive tackle Jeremy Baileys said. "Our mentality on defense is that we hit hard and that all 11 guys swarm to the ball."

Baileys' attitude epitomized the Tartans' defensive prowess throughout the night. He recorded two sacks and forced two fumbles, one of which he returned for a touchdown.

Overall, the Tartans forced five turnovers and never allowed the Wildcats a legitimate chance at getting into the end zone.

That effort is one that Baileys acknowledged resonated throughout the team all year, even with the specter of getting closer to setting county history looming over the Tartans each time they took the field.

"We didn't focus on the record as we prepared for each game," he said.  "Even though this season was such an exciting time for us, we made every game seem like the biggest one of the season."

The Tartans offense, which displayed stunning efficiency throughout the season, struggled in the championship game, turning the ball over five times and failing to establish the continuity that helped them set a county record by scoring 683 points.

Yet the defense produced every time it was needed to stem any momentum the Wildcats gained from the turnovers.

Tartans coach Harry Welch acknowledged that though his team didn't post any gaudy offensive numbers, the end result was no less satisfying.

"The object of the game is to come out with more points than the other team, so a 17-3 score is beautiful in a CIF championship game," he said. "This is one of the greatest experiences of my life."

The Tartans might be able to extend their winning streak this season. They are a candidate to receive a birth in the state playoffs. They will find out Saturday whether or not their season will continue. (UPDATE:Click here to find out if they will play in the state bowl game.)

Welch was adamant that he believed his team had done enough to earn a spot in the state bowl game.

"If there is ever a team that deserved to be in a state bowl game, this is the team," he said. "This team is the epitome of what small schools are about, and I hope that the CIF does the right thing and acknowledges us."

Contact the writer: jeichelberger@ocregister.com