Santa Margarita Escapes by Two Points at Bishop Amat

Santa Margarita scored two second-quarter touchdowns and held off a late charge by La Puente Bishop Amat to defeat the Lancers, 21-19, in a nonleague game Friday at Bishop Amat.

With 2 minutes 28 seconds remaining, Lancer running back Donnie McCleskey scored on a four-yard run to cut the lead to 21-19. However, Michael Lange’s pass for a two-point conversion fell incomplete and Santa Margarita held on for the victory.

“Obviously the key play to the game was when we stopped the two-point conversion”, Santa Margarita coach Jim Hartigan said. “We ran the ball hard and Matt [Dlugolecki] threw the ball well and our defense applied pressure when we needed it the most.”

Trailing 6-0 early in the second quarter, the Eagles marched 70 yards in seven plays to take a 7-6 lead. Sophomore Ashton White, who carried six times for 55 yards on the drive, capped it with a four-yard touchdown run.

White rushed for 150 yards in 14 carries to lead Santa Margarita (4-2).

With 8:51 remaining in the half, Santa Margarita defensive end Alex Huston, who had two sacks, recovered a Bishop Amat fumble. Seven plays later, Dlugolecki scored on a quarterback sneak from one yard to increase the lead to 14-6.

Santa Margarita’s final touchdown came after the Eagles marched 70 yards in nine plays early in the third quarter. Curtis Cooper culminated the drive when he caught a five-yard touchdown pass from Dlugolecki.

Dlugolecki completed 10 of 18 passes for 118 yards and completed passes to nine different receivers. Tyler Thompson rushed for 61 yards in 18 carries. Santa Margarita’s defense, led by Huston and Chad Brazee, had seven sacks.

Lange completed 16 of 28 passes for 310 yards and one touchdown for Bishop Amat (1-5).