ORANGE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL / PREP EXTRA : DIVISION V : Western Quiets Santa Margarita’s Running Attack

Western did something Friday night that few others have this season--stop Santa Margarita’s running game. As a result, the Pioneers remain undefeated as they advance to the semifinals of the Southern Section Division V football playoffs.

Western’s 25-10, second-round victory at Saddleback College even had Santa Margarita Coach Jim Hartigan scratching his head.

“Not too many teams have been able to do that to us,” Hartigan said of Western (12-0). “I think they threw us for a loop when they stopped our running attack. That stopped us cold.”

Santa Margarita (8-4) was limited to 118 rushing yards. The team’s leading rusher was quarterback Chris Collins, who gained most of his yardage on quarterback draws, a few option plays or while scrambling for his life. He carried 10 times for 42 yards.

Junior running back Billy Newman (1,005 yards) eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the season the hard way. He got 27 yards in nine carries.

Western’s do-it-all Mike Mueller was business as usual. He accounted for 335 yards in total offense, including 201 in return yardage.

Still, it took an interception by Western defensive back Jimmy Conway with 4:35 left in the game to put this one away. Western was ahead, 12-10, at the time and Santa Margarita was marching.

Conway made the interception at his 42-yard line and returned to the the Eagle seven. Four plays later, quarterback Dean Chambers passed 23 yards to Mueller for a touchdown. The kick failed, but after the Pioneers got the ball back on downs, kicker David Bell faked a 38-yard field-goal attempt and threw 21 yards to Anthony Casillas for another score.

Western took the lead shortly after a 53-yard punt return by Mueller. Bell was on the receiving end of a 12-yard pass from Chambers with 5:39 left in the third quarter.

Mueller broke several tackles on his second-quarter touchdown run, which came just 38 seconds into the quarter. He took a handoff from Chambers at his 44, swept around left end, shook free of linebacker Casey Grezecka at the 40 and outran the Eagle secondary for a 56-yard touchdown.

Gregg Pichler broke through the center of the Pioneer line to block the extra-point attempt.

And Santa Margarita wasted little time taking the lead, scoring on the first play from scrimmage after the blocked kick.

From his 22, quarterback Chris Collins flipped a pass behind the line of scrimmage to Craig Harrison, who had sneaked into the lineup as a slot back. Harrison, a reserve quarterback, fired a pass to Matt Nickels, who beat two Western defenders in a 40-yard race to the end zone. Jeff Zaist’s kick made it, 7-6.

The Eagles threatened twice more. Collins’ pass was intercepted in the end zone by Mueller on a first down at the Western 14 with 4:15 to go. Mueller returned the ball to the 39, but Bell fumbled on the next play. Santa Margarita recovered and marched to the Pioneer four to set up Zaist’s 21-yard field goal with 1:09 left in the first half.