Santa Margarita Coach Carson Palmer with his captains (from left) Simote Katoanga, Trent Mosley, Dash Fifita, Trace Johnson and Niniva Nicholson at Tuesday’s CIF press conference at The Grand. (PHOTO: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).
It’s been quite a first year for the Santa Margarita Catholic High School football coach Carson Palmer, who leads the Eagles into Friday’s CIF Division 1 championship game against Centennial Corona at the Rose Bowl.
Kick-off is at 7 p.m.
Santa Margarita, looking for its fourth CIF title, is back in the finals for the first time in 15 years. Santa Margarita (9-3) handed Centennial (11-1) its only loss of the season, winning 33-27 in a non-league game in the second week of the season at home.
Palmer, the 2002 Heisman Trophy winner from USC and first round draft choice of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2003, led his alma mater to the co-Trinity League title, highlighted by a 7-6 victory over Mater Dei.
Now, he’s hoping his team can bring home a ring Friday.
“I’m excited, its a great opportunity for us,” Palmer said at Tuesday’s CIF press luncheon at The Grand. “It’s great for our school and our program, and more importantly, it’s great for our kids. Not very many people obviously get to perform on this stage, so for our guys, the work they’ve put in and the dedication they’ve shown and the efforts they’ve shown, they’ve really worked and put themselves in a position to play for a championship.”
Palmer said his first year as head coach has included, “a lot of learning along the way.”
“A lot has changed in high school since I was in it last, there have been things that jumped up that were completely unexpected, every week there is something we got to handle …. so there have been some unexpected turns but that was also expected there would be a big learning curve for me. I’ve been surrounded with great people …. we have a lot of great support to handle all the bumps and bruises and curves along the road.”
Santa Margarita is led by a strong defense that has allowed less than 150 points this year.
Offensively, quarterback Trace Johnson has thrown for 2,142 yards and 14 touchdowns and running back
Trent Mosley has seven rushing touchdowns. Linebackers Dash Fifita and Leki Holani lead the defense with over 80 tackles. The team has 26 sacks led by Isaia Vandermade with six.
Santa Margarita was represented a the CIF press conference by its captains senior defensive end Simote Katoanga, senior left tackle Niniva Nicholson, senior wide receiver/defensive back Mosley, senior linebacker Fifita and Johnson, the senior quarterback.
“Simote is an incredible player, and an incredible kid who is always trying to help and always extending an extra hand when we get done playing,” Palmer said. “Niniva is an all-league left tackle who has been phenomenal who is a great leader and has great work ethic.
“Trent Mosley is another guy going to USC with Simote, I think he’s the best player in the country and I think this is an opportunity for him to show that to everybody. He’s probably equally as good of a human being. Dash Fifita, our starting middle linebacker, is the heartbeat of our defense. He’s an incredible player. He knows the defense inside and out and knows what the offense is trying to do before they do it.
“Trace Johnson, our quarterback, has had a phenomenal year, he’s improved every week, he’s incredibly tough, he’s resilient.”
Centennial is back in the CIF final for the first time in more than a decade and is trying to bring home the program’s 11th crown.
Coach Matt Logan’s Huskies, the champions of the Big West North League, have an offense that has scored more than 550 points this season.
Quarterback Dominick Catalano has thrown for 2,187 yards and 19 touchdowns and running back Malaki Davis has rushed for 892 yards and 19 rushing touchdowns.
Eight different Centennial players have caught a touchdown pass, led by Keawe Browne who has six TD receptions.
Jaden Walk-Greene leads the defense with 102 tackles and 10 interceptions.
“It’s an incredible match-up, they’re very good, we already played them this year and it went down to the wire, it took us an entire overtime period just about, we ended up being able to outlast them, but they’re very well coached, very disciplined, they play with a lot of poise and they’re really tough,” Palmer said.
“They’re explosive on offense, They can run the ball and they can throw it. Defensively, they get after the quarterback and they tackle really well, it’s going to be a great match-up.”
Johnson, the Eagles quarterback, said he’s looking forward to the game as well.
“It’s going to be a good one, obviously we already played them once,” Johnson said. “They’re a good coached team, they play physical, but we’re ready for them. We’re playing our best football right now, we just keep improving every week, that’s what we plan on doing, play our football, play our game that we’ve been playing.
“You always envision it, but for it to come to fruition and work out and let God just handle things, it’s pretty cool to see the vision that not only Coach Palmer had, buit the whole staff had and the players, it’s pretty cool.”
Johnson has appreciated playing for Palmer, who played for 15 seasons in the NFL.
“It’s great, he’s the best, it doesn’t get better than that in high school football as far as being coached, he’s a legend and obviously he’s played the position I play.”
Palmer seems right at home leading the Eagles.
“Santa Margarita is a special place, a special institution, it’s where everything began for me and where my career got started and where my kids now go there,” he said. “It’s got a special place in my heart.”
Check back with OC Sports Zone for story and photos on the game.
—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
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