This is the first game between Santa Margarita and the 18th ranked Dominguez (Compton) Dons. It marks the second consecutive game the Eagles have played against a team ranked in the State Top 20. Last year, Tustin was ranked 20^th.

This match-up marks the 20th game between the Eagles and a team from Los Angeles County, but the first since the Eagles beat Glendora 41-6 in 1995. Santa Margarita’s all time record against L. A. teams is 15-4 (.789).

The Dons finished the 1997 season with a 10-2 record. They captured the San Gabriel Valley League title and advanced to the semi-finals of the CIF-SS Division II Playoffs.

The Dominguez game marks the sixth time in 10 varsity seasons that the Eagles have opened at home. Santa Margarita is 6-3 in season opening games going 4-1 in openers at home and 2-2 on the road.

The Eagles are 40-8-1 (.827) on Friday nights at Saddleback College and have won 12 in a row at home.

Coaches
Jim Hartigan is 84-25-1 (.768) in his tenth season as varsity Head Coach. Overall Coach Hartigan has a 100-28-2 (.769) if you include 10-0 and 6-3-1 lower level teams that he led in 1987 and 1988 respectively before the Eagles fielded varsity teams. He was honored as the both the 1996 and 1997 Daily Pilot Sea View League Coach of the Year, CIF-SS Division V Coach of the Year and the National Football Foundation Orange County Coach of the Year. The Dons are led by second year coach Keith Donaldson who is 10-2 (.833) overall at Dominguez.