Football: Harry Welch does it again at Santa Margarita

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Another season, another Pac-5 Division playoff berth for Santa Margarita under Coach Harry Welch. That makes him two for two, and don’t anyone think that’s not a big accomplishment.

Remember when he took over last season, the Eagles came out of nowhere to finish 9-3. This season, they were stunned in their Trinity League opener, losing to Santa Ana Mater Dei.

Now they’ve won three in a row to clinch at least second place, and if the Eagles (8-1) can beat Anaheim Servite on Friday night in a regular-season finale, they’ll share the Trinity League championship with the Friars.

Few coaches get their players to play with more intensity and focus than Welch. That’s how Santa Margarita is successful. And it presents an interesting matchup on Friday at Cerritos College, because Servite’s coach, Troy Thomas, is able to do the same with the Friars.

Maybe it has something to do with Welch and Thomas each being graduates of Encino Crespi, though as Welch points out, ‘I just happened to graduate 40 years before him.’

Welch will have his team ready to go.

‘It’s an honor to play the No. 1 team maybe in California,’ he said. ‘Where would you rather want to be than play the best at the end of the year.’

-- Eric Sondheimer