De La Salle, doomed by early woes, routed by Santa Margarita in state final

MISSION VIEJO De La Salle still can t solve Southern California The Spartans traveled to Mission Viejo for another state championship tournament and walked off the field in defeat once again as Santa Margarita and its USC-bound superstar Trent Mosley breezed to the Open Division title - on Saturday night at Saddleback College The loss was De La Salle s eighth in a row in a state championship tournament all but two at the Open level The opponent was different this time no Mater Dei or St John Bosco but the product was painfully familiar for De La Salle Behind three touchdowns from Mosley Santa Margarita - upended another perfect DLS season and continued the Southland s unshakeable stranglehold on the Open state title Santa Margarita wide receiver Trent Mosley center is congratulated by tight end Griffin Brahm left after scoring touchdown late in the second quarter against De La Salle in the CIF State Open Division football championship in Mission Viejo on Saturday December Santa Margarita center Aaron Klatt is at right Photo by Paul Rodriguez Contributing Photographer No Northern California company has won an Open championship since De La Salle did so years ago against Centennial-Corona Jaden Jefferson scored for the Spartans - in the first half running in from the to take advantage of a fumble recovery by Landon Miller midway through the second quarter But Santa Margarita led - at halftime The North Carolina-bound Jefferson added another touchdown run this one from yards in the third quarter to cut the margin to - But it was too little too late Mosley ran for a touchdown and caught two TD passes to lead Santa Margarita The exclamation point came when Siua Holani intercepted a pass and returned it down the sideline for a touchdown with to go De La Salle arrived at Saddleback with an undefeated record and a resume that included wins over Florida powerhouse Lakeland Serra and St Francis of the West Catholic Athletic League Sacramento heavyweight Grant and St Mary s-Stockton which won the Division -AA state title on Friday night The Spartans reached the Open final by beating Pittsburg - in the North Coast Section Open Division title championship on Nov the Concord powerhouse s rd consecutive section crown But De La Salle needed more They traveled to Orange County seeking their first state championship since when they beat Centennial-Corona - The state title years ago was De La Salle s seventh still the majority all-time But the Spartans had come away empty since then losing Open state finals in and They also lost in the -AA state title competition in and The drought has become so extended that Folsom which won the -AA state title on Friday entered Saturday night trailing De La Salle in state championships by just one Santa Margarita running back Jaion Smith runs into the end zone to result a touchdown against De La Salle in the CIF State Open Division football championship in Mission Viejo on Saturday December Photo by Paul Rodriguez Contributing Photographer Santa Margarita brought its own storyline into the title match Related Articles McClymonds unable to slow Kennedy-Delano falls in -A state final CIF state football championships This weekend s scoreboard Y all state champs St Ignatius beats Ventura for -AA crown Heartbreaker Lincoln gives up TD in last minute loses -AA state final CIF state football championships Friday s scores Saturday s schedule The SoCal company is now led by former NFL All-Pro Carson Palmer an alumnus of the school who is in his first season The Eagles offensive coordinator is Lenny Vandermade the former St Ignatius head coach who left the Wildcats in January to join Palmer his college roommate at USC Santa Margarita s appearance in the Open final marked the first time since Centennial in that Mater Dei or St John Bosco did not represent the South in the top division Subscribe to our Bay Area Preps HQ newsletter for all our Bay Area high school sports coverage including tournament analysis scores and everything you want to know about your Bay Area high school teams