Mater Dei Handles a New Challenge, 34-0

The creation of the Serra League finally brought two of Orange County’s winningest programs together on the same field, but the only thing they had in common Saturday was their past success.

Mater Dei, with 50 years of tradition behind it, dominated upstart Santa Margarita, 34-0, in front of 12,063 at Edison Field, claiming control of the newly formed Serra League and going one-up on the parochial school that hopes to one day supplant the Monarchs.

Mater Dei improved to 7-2, 2-0 in the four-team league, and vaporized the hopes of Santa Margarita (6-3, 1-1) for a league title in its first year in Division I.

Santa Margarita has a 100-32-1 record in 11 years, while Mater Dei is 371-127-14 over 50 years.

According to Coach Jim Hartigan, Santa Margarita couldn’t win without making big plays or getting a big game from quarterback Chris Rix, who has committed to Florida State. The Eagles also needed Jimmy Herzog to run successfully against a Monarch defense that averaged less than 11 points allowed the last five weeks.

None of that happened.

The Eagles were outgained by Mater Dei, 404-158, and had only four plays gain 10 yards or more.

Rix was sacked six times, three by Nick Stroffe and once apiece by Steve Armstrong, Brown Faavae and Justin Gruettke. Rix completed only nine of 24 passes for 54 yards and was intercepted once, by Matt Grootegoed.

“We knew we had to contain Rix,” Stroffe said. “That was pretty much it and we were able to do that the whole night.”

On the other side of the ball, Mater Dei’s Matt Leinart completed 12 of 19 passes for 228 yards, with one interception and touchdown passes of 14 and 13 yards to Gruettke.

Grootegoed rushed 10 times for 99 yards and touchdowns of 18 and six yards. Junior Palacios carried 15 times for 70 yards.

“Groots and Junior were running the ball well,” Leinart said. “The offensive line played great and the holes were huge, the receivers were running great routes.

“Everything was working.”

Santa Margarita, outplayed badly in the first half--the Eagles were outgained, 234-68--might have stayed in contention if not for allowing touchdowns just before and after halftime.

Mater Dei got possession at the Eagle 49 with 1:59 left, and Leinart completed a 23-yard pass to Ray Gilbert, then hit Gruettke for a 13-yard score with 32 seconds left for a 13-0 lead.

On its first possession of the second half, Santa Margarita punted, and Gilbert returned it 60 yards for a touchdown. Leinart ran in for a two-point conversion to put the Eagles behind the eight-ball, 21-0.