Servite Friars beat Santa Margarita Eagles, 43-42, in overtime

Ainslie Johnson caught a two-point conversion pass from Cody Pittman to give Servite a 43-42 overtime victory over Santa Margarita and its seventh consecutive Trinity League championship Friday night at Cerritos College.

Santa Margarita got the ball first in overtime and needed five plays to take its first lead, 42-35, on quarterback Johnny Stanton’s five-yard keeper. Servite answered on its first possession, scoring on Manaitovini Pauu’s three-yard run.

Servite is 9-1 overall, 5-0 in the Trinity League. Santa Margarita drops to 8-2, 3-2.

Servite quarterback Cody Pittman completed 21 of 23 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 102 yards and one touchdown in 18 carries. Manaitovini Pauu rushed for 58 yards and three touchdowns in 16 carries and caught a nine-yard touchdown pass for Servite, which will likely be seeded No. 1 in the Southern Section Pac-5 Division playoffs.

Johnny Stanton completed 19 of 29 passes for 291 yards and one touchdown and rushed 23 times for 120 yards and three touchdowns for Santa Margarita. Teammate Ryan Wolpin rushed for two touchdowns and caught three passes for 85 yards and a touchdown.

Santa Margarita kicker John McGrory made all six of his extra points, extending his Southern Section record to 107 straight without a miss.

Stanton’s seven-yard scamper on a quarterback option capped a 53-yard drive and pulled Santa Margarita even with Servite, 35-35, with 1:50 left in the fourth quarter. Servite’s ensuing drive stalled at its 38-yard line, forcing overtime.

Pauu scored his third touchdown of the game on a three-yard off tackle run to give Servite a 35-28 lead with 7:05 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Friars moved 80 yards in 10 plays.

Stanton’s 11-yard quarterback keeper pulled Santa Margarita even, 28-28, with 11:24 left in the fourth quarter.

Ryan Wolpin scored on a counter from four yards out to complete a 14-play, 83-yard drive on Santa Margarita’s opening drive of the second half — that tied it, 21-21.

Pauu answered with a nine-yard reception from Pittman to give the Friars a 28-21 lead with 1:21 left in the third quarter.

Servite took a 14-7 lead on an eight-yard touchdown pass from Pittman to Johnson with 9:17 left in the second quarter.

Wolpin caught a screen pass over the middle from Stanton, broke to the outside and shook several tackles on his way to the end zone for a 60-yard touchdown play that pulled Santa Margarita even, 14-14, midway through the second quarter.

Pittman’s five-yard scramble capped a 12-play, 80-yard drive to give Servite a 21-14 lead with 42 seconds remaining in the first half.

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