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Santa Margarita wakes up, rolls Servite
Down 3-0 after a quarter, the Eagles scored 21 in the second behind Adrian Petero and a smothering defense. They're 7-0 for the first time since 1997, and St. John Bosco is next.
MISSION VIEJO — For one quarter on homecoming night, Servite had Santa Margarita exactly where it wanted it.
The Friars snapped the ball with a tick left on the play clock, threw underneath, and kept the Eagles’ offense on the sideline. An interception set up Eli Gonzalez’s 27-yard field goal on the final play of the first quarter, and Servite led 3-0.
Then Adrian Petero got loose.
The sophomore broke a 56-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, and Santa Margarita didn’t look back, beating Servite 27-3 at Saddleback College in a Trinity League game that turned in about 12 minutes of football.
Fletch Palmer hit Grant Van Raaphorst in stride for a 55-yard touchdown. Petero finished the half with a 2-yard run, and the Eagles went to the locker room up 21-3. Petero ran seven times for 98 yards and two touchdowns, and he now has 13 touchdowns this season. Van Raaphorst finished with 87 receiving yards.
Santa Margarita (7-0, 2-0 Trinity) is 7-0 for the first time since 1997, and its winning streak is up to 13.
The defense did the rest
Servite’s patient approach never found the end zone. The Friars ran 23 times for 41 yards, and freshman Aydan Steen was in the middle of almost all of it, finishing with 14 tackles and a sack. USC commit Isaia Vandermade had two sacks and forced a fumble. The Eagles recovered two fumbles.
Neither team scored in the second half until Jaion Smith went in from a yard out with less than two minutes to play.
KJ Ashley and Devin Brown each intercepted a pass for Servite (3-4, 0-2), but it was still the fewest points the Friars have scored all season, and a second straight loss. The Friars have given up 83 points in their last two games. They play Mater Dei on Thursday.
Now comes the big one
A week ago, Santa Margarita beat Mater Dei 14-7. On Friday, Oct. 16, it plays St. John Bosco, in a game that could decide the Trinity League.
Servite woke the beast. The Eagles were cranky trailing 3-0. The second quarter saw SMC dial long distance. First Adrian Petero cut loose for a 56-yard rushing touchdown. Later, Grant Van Raaphorst took a Fletch Palmer in stride for a 55 yard score to make it 14-3.
— Santa Margarita Catholic High School (@SMCHSEagles) October 9, 2026