ORANGE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: PREP EXTRA : Eagles Beat Sailors, Get Playoff Berth

It was one of those penalties that make you wonder. Santa Margarita’s Eric Brown had just broken free of a couple of defenders at midfield and completed a 59-yard scoring pass from Chris Collins.

In the end zone, he was mobbed by his teammates.

They were called for unsportsmanlike conduct--celebrating after a touchdown--but it didn’t matter, because the party was on.

Brown’s touchdown was one of four by the Eagles in the second quarter that helped Santa Margarita to a 34-21 Sea View League victory Friday over Newport Harbor at Saddleback College.

It was a game both teams needed to win to reach the playoffs. Santa Margarita (7-3, 3-2 in league) finished in a three-way tie for second; the Eagles go into the playoffs as the Sea View League’s third-place entry because of its 1-1 record against Corona del Mar (2-0) and Irvine (0-2); Irvine will be hoping to get an at-large berth when the Southern Section releases its playoff brackets on Sunday.

Newport Harbor (4-2, 2-3) appeared ready to seize its playoff opportunity.

The Sailors scored on their first possession, after Chris Werner’s 26-yard interception return. Joe Urban scored from one yard, and Justin Kerr’s extra point made it 7-0; it was Newport Harbor’s only lead.

The defending Southern Section Division V champions--the Sailors went 14-0 last year--were dismantled in the second quarter.

Santa Margarita got two touchdown passes from Collins--one yard to Brown on the first play of the quarter, and the 59-yarder that made it 20-0 (the extra point was missed after the 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty), and touchdown runs of 15 and 12 yards by Damien Minna.

“We came out and played hard in the first half and kept it to them,” Santa Margarita Coach Jim Hartigan said. “I thought our kids played well in all aspects. Special teams, our offense was explosive--we weren’t going to stay conventional. . . . I’m glad we put the pressure on them early because it really made a difference.

“We loosened it up and let them play.”

Although Newport Harbor got back in the game minutes into the third quarter with a 74-yard scoring pass from Josiah Fredriksen to Ramsey Allen, Santa Margarita answered with a nine-play, 76-yard drive capped by Collins’ third touchdown pass, to Billy O’Connor, of 11 yards.

Collins finished 12 of 17 passing for 205 yards. Brown caught seven passes for 126.

Fredriksen (16 of 31, 248 yards) threw a five-yard touchdown pass to Danny Pulido, completing an 85-yard drive, early in the fourth quarter. The Sailors had more chances to score when Cory Glass fell on a fumble at the Santa Margarita 37. However, the Eagle defense bent only 13 yards.

Werner blocked a punt with four minutes remaining to give the Sailors another chance to score, but Matt Nickels intercepted a Fredriksen pass.