Santa Margarita’s Halftime Talk Leads to 28-7 Romp Over Glendora

For Santa Margarita, the play of the game was made in the locker room.

Trailing, 7-6, at halftime, and thoroughly frustrated by turnovers inside the 20-yard line, head Coach Jim Hartigan prepared his team for the second half.

The Eagles (9-2) promptly went on to score 22 consecutive second-half points to defeat Glendora, 28-7, in the first round of the Division IV playoffs at Citrus College. Santa Margarita will play Foothill in the second round.

“We went in at halftime and regrouped,” said Hartigan. “We talked about the fact that we were moving the football and doing some good things. We wanted to come out in the second half and just improve, tighten up, and not kill ourselves.”

Running back Chris Piernan, who gained 125 yards in 18 carries, scored three touchdowns and senior quarterback Shawn O’Brien orchestrated an offensive attack that totaled 483 yards. O’Brien completed 18 of 29 passes for 309 yards.

The Eagle defense did not allow an offensive score and limited Glendora (5-5-1) to 192 yards on offense.

The Tartans’ only touchdown came on Andre Winters’ 86-yard interception return in the first quarter.

Ryan Zinn, who caught six passes for 85 yards, added a 19-yard scoring run in the third quarter.