Game Summary - Woodbridge CIF
(FULLERTON, Dec. 11, 1998) – Santa Margarita, playing
for their third consecutive CIF Championship, suffered their second
loss to eventual State Division II Champion Woodbridge as Steve
Terwiske kicked a 38-yard field goal as time expired to give the
Warriors (13-0-1) a 27-24 before 8,000 at Cal State Fullerton’s
Titan Field. The heartbreaking loss overshadowed a dramatic comeback
that saw Santa Margarita (10-4) rebound from a 24-9 deficit with
11:17 left to tie the score at 24 with 1:37 remaining. The first
play from scrimmage was almost as exciting for the Warriors as
linebacker David Grijalva intercepted Greg Orlando’s lateral
and raced untouched 25 yards putting Woodbridge ahead 7-0. The
Eagles countered on their next possession driving 64 yards on
17 plays capped by Matt Froehlich’s 33-yard field goal at
the 3:18 mark. Key plays were 21 and 15 yard passes from Orlando
to Matt Lopez and Mike O’Gorman respectively. On Woodbridge’s
next possession, the Warriors took advantage of a 40-yard run
by Shane Harris and a pass interference penalty to set up at the
Eagle 24. On second and ten the Warriors used 12 men on the field
to exploit the Eagle secondary as Scott Barlow hit a wide open
Ryan Rommelfanger with a touchdown pass. The Eagles, who were
generally inefficient in the first Woodbridge matchup, quickly
responded as Orlando hit O’Gorman for the first of their
three scores on the night at the 0:04 mark. This one was a 77-yarder
that cut the Warrior lead to 14-9. Spencer McCroskey’s try
for a two-point conversion, however, failed. After a missed Warrior
field goal, the Eagles drove as deep as the Woodbridge 32 where
a fourth down pass fell incomplete. An exchange of punts preceded
a 60-yard touchdown run by Harris to increase the Warrior lead
to 21-9 late in the second quarter. After a scoreless third quarter
the Warriors went ahead 24-9 on Terwiske’s 25-yard field
goal with 11:17 left to give the Warriors what seemed like an
insurmountable lead. It took Orlando one play to find O’Gorman
again, this time from 80 yards to close the gap to 24-16. On the
play, O’Gorman made a spectacular one handed grab on the
run and used his speed to outrace the defenders to the endzone.
The Warriors were forced to punt on their next possession, but
they left the Eagles 96 yards from the endzone. Santa Margarita
proceeded to go on a 17-play drive over the next six minutes picking
up six critical first downs including a 21-yard reception by Lopez
on a third-and-12 situation. Orlando, who finished 11 of 22 for
271 yards, found O’Gorman (six receptions for 209 yards)
on a post-corner at the 1:37 mark to close within two. On the
two-point conversion, Orlando hit O’Gorman again, this time
on a fade route to tie the score at 24. On the ensuing kickoff,
Harris raced 38 yards to his 46 where the Warriors used four plays
to move 33 yards to set up the winning kick. Thew Eagle offense
moved the ball well all night gaining 409 total yards and picking
up 16 first downs. The Eagles lost the turnover battle to the
Warriors for the second time. Defensively, the Eagles played well
at times; however they allowed six plays of at least 24 yards
including a 24-yard completion on a key third-and-14 situation,
and a 40-yard gain on a second-and-25 situation. Individual standouts
included junior Matt Szkalak who led the team with 10 tackles
and senior Lee Smith who added nine.
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