Santa Margarita Rally Stopped by Carpinteria

MISSION VIEJO — Santa Margarita High School’s football team ended three yards short of keeping its Division IX playoff hopes alive Friday at Saddleback College.

On a fourth and 6 play, junior quarterback Trevor Yankoff completed a pass to sophomore running back Josh Ireland, but a gang of Carpinteria defenders--led by Izak Ondre--stopped him at the Carpinteria 25 with no time left to ensure the No. 3 seeded Tri-Valley champion Warriors of a 21-14 victory.

“I thought we matched up well with them, but Carpinteria (11-1) is a better football team. It shut down our run, which we didn’t plan on,” Santa Margarita Coach Jim Hartigan said.

Santa Margarita (8-4) tied Carpinteria, 14-14, when Yankoffgot his arm over the center of a pack of Warriors’ defenders from the 1 with 7:50 left in the fourth quarter.