EAGLES 27, BISHOP AMAT 3 (LA PUENTE, Oct. 17, 2003) – The Eagles put on one their most impressive performances since joining the Serra League in 1999 as they defeated the Bishop Amat Lancers 27-3 before a homecoming crowd of 4,500 at Kiefer Stadium. The win improved the Eagles’ record to 6-0 for the first time since 1997 while the Lancers fell to 4-2. Santa Margarita excelled in all facets of their game as the defense limited the Lancers to minus-seven yards of total offense and two first downs while their offense rolled up 366 yards mostly behind the running of quarterback Michael Angelo and running backs Chris Ramsey and Omar Villamar. Although the Eagle offense and special teams units were clicking, the defensive effort was particularly noteworthy. Leading the way were seniors Matt Rupp, Mark Restelli, Jack Meehan and Jeff Azula. Rupp was a disruptive force all evening as he logged nine total tackles including seven in the backfield – four of which were sacks tying his school record. Rupp set the tone on the first play from scrimmage pressuring the Lancer QB into an incompletion and blowing-up a running play in the backfield for a four-yard loss one snap later. On the next play Restelli picked off a pass, but fumbled it, however, teammate Jason Graban picked it up and returned it to the Lancer 26. Five plays later Angelo ran in untouched from nine yards out to make it 7-0 with 8:52 left in the opening quarter. Meehan was all over the field the entire game posting a team-high 13 tackles and Azula stopped two drives with sacks in helping limit the Lancers to no first downs after the first quarter.

In the second quarter Angelo (14 carries for 94 yards rushing and five of ten for 72 yards passing) directed a nine-play, 80-yard drive capped by his own 24-yard scoring run to make it 14-0 with 8:25 left in the half. In that drive key runs by Ramsey (16 carries for 123 yards) resulted in Eagle first downs. A pair of field goals from 23 and 35 yards out by Mike Fowle each set up by solid runs by Villamar (16 carries for 90 yards) - the later one set up as a result of an interception near midfield by Restelli with 0:50 left in the half - made it 20-0 at the break. On their opening drive of the second half the Eagles went on a five-play 65-yard drive which ended with a 24-yard scoring scamper by Ramsey to make it 27-0 with 9:54 remaining in the third quarter. The lone Lancer score was the result of a bad snap on a punt that set the hosts up at the Eagle seven late in the third quarter. Bishop Amat couldn’t punch it in as two tackles by Meehan and a sack by Azula forced a 31-yard field that closed out the scoring. The Eagles dominated in yards gained 366 to minus seven, yards per play - 6.3 to minus 0.2, first downs – 16 to two, and in time of possession 26:35 to 21:25. Their seven total sacks were one shy of the single-game team mark set in 1996.