EAGLES 28, LAKEWOOD 13 (LAKEWOOD, Sept. 21, 2001)

- Marshall Tharpe threw four touchdown passes, including two to Ashton White, as the Eagles overcame five turnovers to post a workmanlike 28-13 win over the Lakewood Lancers before 3,000 in a non-league contest at John Ford Stadium on the campus of Lakewood High School. The win improved the Eagles to 2-0-1 and not only gave the Eagles important momentum heading into a homecoming battle with Norco, but demonstrated for the second consecutive week that the Eagles can beat Division I teams on the road.

The score was not indicative of how one-sided the game actually was. Tharpe, whose scoring tosses were the first of his career, was effective most of the night completing 10 of 16 passes for 166 yards and rushing for 21 more; however, his two interceptions in Lancer territory along with three uncharacteristic turnovers by the running backs and nine penalties were reasons the Eagles scored only four touchdowns and could not put Lakewood away for good.

Lakewood (0-2) struck first by recovering a pooched kickoff at the Eagle 33. On third-and 11 a deflected pass was converted into a 30-yard gain setting up Jason Leggett's four-yard scoring run just 1:38 into the game. The Eagles then drove to the Lancer 33 on only six plays, but the drive stalled when Tharpe was stopped short of a first down on a fourth-and-two run. On Lakewood's next drive White intercepted his first pass of the season and returned it 33 yards to the Lancer 42. On second down, Tharpe found Travis Widner for what should have been a first down; however, the senior was stripped of the ball where the Lancers recovered on their 28. After a short Lancer punt, the Eagles needed just three plays to tie the score as Tharpe found White alone down the left sideline for a 37-yard scoring pass. On the ensuing Lancer drive White muffed a punt return setting Lakewood up at the Eagle 39. Santa Margarita's defense, which has been improving each week, caused the Lancers to lose 18 yards on three plays to force another punt. The Eagles then put together a nice drive going 43 yards on five plays highlighted by White's 25-yard run and capped by his 11-yard scoring reception with 7:17 left in the half to put the Eagles up for good 13-7. With the score, Ashton, who finished with 124 yards rushing, posted his third consecutive game with at least two touchdowns and 100 yards rushing. The Eagles had one more opportunity to score at the end of the half after Trevor Zinn blocked a Lancer punt, but a 37-yard field goal by Jason Graban was wide right as time expired.

At the start of the second half the Eagles used a balanced attack of three runs and three passes to go 75-yards on six plays to take a 21-7 lead. Highlighting the drive were 22 and 17-yard receptions by Dustin Slinkard - the latter of which set up a first-and-goal where Tharpe hit Renny Jackson from nine-yards out at the 7:19 mark for his first career touchdown. Tharpe's two-point conversion pass to Jeff Prenovost was good. Santa Margarita wasted little time in extending their lead by going on a four-play 58-yard drive set up by two 15-yard runs by White and capped by a 19-yard scoring strike from Tharpe to junior Bobby Whithorne at the 4:49 mark of the third quarter to build the lead to 28-7. From there the Eagle defense allowed only four first downs and two pass completions although one of which was converted into a 37-yard score.

Despite the seemingly inconsistent performance several good things emerged. The Eagles blocked a punt, partially blocked another, blocked an extra point, registered four sacks, recorded ten tackles for loss, posted season highs for yards gained and first downs and did not punt until the end of the third quarter. Defensively, Prenovost led the charge with a career-high 15 tackles to earn Defensive Player of the Game honors while senior LB Kyle Rutenbar added 10 and sophomore sensation DT Matt Rupp added 8 including a sack.