ORANGE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREP EXTRA : Eagles’ Early Burst Beats Mustangs : Santa Margarita: Newman’s two touchdowns help stop three-game losing streak against Trabuco Hills.

Santa Margarita scored touchdowns on its first three possessions and needed no more as the Eagles defeated Trabuco Hills, 20-0, Friday night in the season opener for both teams.

Running back Billy Newman scored a pair of touchdowns and quarterback Chris Collins the other as the Eagles had all their points within the first nine minutes of the game, played before 1,500 at Saddleback College.

It was Santa Margarita’s first victory over the Mustangs in three tries and the 50th career win for Eagles Coach Jim Hartigan in his eighth season as varsity coach.

“I thought our play offensively was great,” Hartigan said. “We ran a lot of different things, play-action zones, things like that. And I thought Chris did a good job for his first game. It was a big win for us.”

After playing in all but one game as a freshman, Collins missed the first five games last season because of double knee surgery. He came back for the start of league play but was ineffective after his long layoff.

Against the Mustangs, Collins connected on five of his first six passes for 74 yards and finished with 134 yards in 10 completions. Matt Nickels caught five for 68 yards.

The post-Jim Barnett era didn’t begin too well for new Trabuco Hills Coach Bob Crow. In his first game back as a head coach since leaving Mission Viejo High following the 1987 season, his offense managed just 159 yards. Twice his team had the ball inside the Eagles’ 12 and failed to score.

Making matters worse, Crow’s top running back, senior Bryan Carter, had 29 yards in the first half but suffered a concussion while playing defense and did not return.

“They [the Eagles] did a good job in the first half,” Crow said. “They found our weak spot and expose it. But I thought we came back and played a good second half. Youth vs. experience tonight and we learned something.”

Santa Margarita had the ball just nine minutes in the first half but controlled the clock in the second and limited Trabuco to three possessions.

In the first quarter, Newman capped an eight-play drive with a 14-yard touchdown run.