Santa Margarita, second on the SPIN Power 100, and Mater Dei, 19th, open Trinity League play on Friday at 7:00 PM Pacific at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo. Santa Margarita is the home team.
Santa Margarita is 5-0 and has allowed 27 points. Mater Dei is 4-1. Both were idle last week.
By the numbers
| Mater Dei | Santa Margarita | |
|---|---|---|
| SPIN Power 100 | 19 | 2 |
| Record | 4-1 | 5-0 |
| Points per game | 23.8 | 35.6 |
| Points allowed per game | 18.6 | 5.4 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 3 |
| Head coach | Raul Lara, third season | Carson Palmer, second season |
Santa Margarita
| Date | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Aug. 21 | Jones (Orlando, Fla.) | W 27-0 |
| Aug. 28 | at Centennial (Corona) | W 21-20 |
| Sept. 4 | Highland (Palmdale) | W 55-7 |
| Sept. 12 | Inderkum (Sacramento) | W 41-0 |
| Sept. 18 | Norco | W 34-0 |
Santa Margarita won the section and the state last season. It beat Centennial (Corona) 42-7 at the Rose Bowl for the CIF Southern Section Division 1 title, then beat De La Salle 47-13 at Saddleback College for the CIF State Open Division title. It finished 11-3 in Carson Palmer's first season as its head coach. Palmer is a Santa Margarita graduate and won the Heisman Trophy at USC in 2002.
Mater Dei
| Date | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Aug. 21 | American Fork (Utah) | W 31-11 |
| Aug. 29 | Orem (Utah), at Salt Lake City | W 32-26 |
| Sept. 4 | Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) | W 38-22 |
| Sept. 11 | Centennial (Corona) | W 10-9 |
| Sept. 18 | Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) | L 25-8 |
Bishop Gorman's 25-8 win in Santa Ana on Sept. 18 is Mater Dei's only loss.
Mater Dei went 8-3 last season. It lost 28-27 to Centennial (Corona) in the Division 1 semifinals on a blocked field goal in the final seconds.
The common opponent
Both teams have beaten Centennial (Corona), and both by one point. Santa Margarita won 21-20 at Centennial on August 28. Mater Dei won 10-9 at home on September 11.
The series
Santa Margarita won last year's meeting 7-6 on October 10 at the Santa Ana Bowl. The win ended an 11 game losing streak to Mater Dei. Santa Margarita had not beaten Mater Dei since 2013.
Mater Dei won the 2024 meeting 40-18.
Players to watch
Santa Margarita
- Isaia Vandermade, DL, senior. Committed to USC.
- Fletch Palmer, QB, junior.
Mater Dei
- DJ Clanton, LB, senior. Committed to New Mexico.
What Friday does
Santa Margarita is second on our national board and first Out West. Mater Dei's only win this season over a team on the SPIN Power 100 is Centennial (Corona), 25th. A Mater Dei win in its league opener would be its first this season over a team ranked above it, and it would come against the defending state champion.
Kickoff is 7:00 PM Pacific, 8:00 PM Mountain. The NFHS Network lists it as the CIF Southern Section's Game of the Week.
