Santa Margarita quarterback Fletch Palmer (3) throws the ball during a nonleague game against Norco at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Friday, September 18, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Santa Margarita running back Adrian Petero (26) carries the ball during a nonleague game against Norco at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Friday, September 18, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Santa Margarita running back Adrian Petero (26), right, breaks a tackle while carrying the ball during a nonleague game against Norco at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Friday, September 18, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Norco quarterback Julian Medina (1) throws the ball while on the run during a nonleague game against Santa Margarita at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Friday, September 18, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Santa Margarita tight end Luke Gazzaniga (9) catches a touchdown pass during a nonleague game against Norco at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Friday, September 18, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Norco quarterback Julian Medina (1) throws the ball while on the run during a nonleague game against Santa Margarita at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Friday, September 18, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Santa Margarita wide receiver Kiyan Callis (10) carries the ball during a nonleague game against Norco at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Friday, September 18, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Norco quarterback Julian Medina (1) throws the ball during a nonleague game against Santa Margarita at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Friday, September 18, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Norco quarterback Julian Medina (1) throws the ball during a nonleague game against Santa Margarita at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Friday, September 18, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Santa Margarita quarterback Fletch Palmer (3) throws the ball during a nonleague game against Norco at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Friday, September 18, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Santa Margarita defender Kaleb Herndon (27) tackles Norco running back Lee White (4) during a nonleague game between the two teams at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Friday, September 18, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Santa Margarita running back Adrian Petero (26) carries the ball for a touchdown during a nonleague game against Norco at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Friday, September 18, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Norco wide receiver Konnor Calderon (13) carries the ball during a nonleague game against Santa Margarita at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Friday, September 18, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Junior Eagles perform with the Santa Margarita cheerleaders during the halftime show of a nonleague football game against Norco at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Friday, September 18, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Norco wide receiver Tegan Ogas (18) carries the ball during a nonleague game against Santa Margarita at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Friday, September 18, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Santa Margarita cheerleaders perform on the field during the halftime show of a nonleague football game against Norco at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Friday, September 18, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Santa Margarita running back Adrian Petero (26) carries the ball during a nonleague game against Norco at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Friday, September 18, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Norco quarterback Julian Medina (1) throws the ball while on the run during a nonleague game against Santa Margarita at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Friday, September 18, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Santa Margarita quarterback Fletch Palmer (3) throws the ball during a nonleague game against Norco at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Friday, September 18, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Norco quarterback Julian Medina (1) throws the ball during a nonleague game against Santa Margarita at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Friday, September 18, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Santa Margarita wide receiver Grant Van Raaphorst (16) carries the ball during a nonleague game against Norco at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Friday, September 18, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Norco running back Lee White (4) goes airborne to pick up extra yards while carrying the ball during a nonleague game against Santa Margarita at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Friday, September 18, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Santa Margarita running back Adrian Petero (26) breaks a tackle while carrying the ball during a nonleague game against Norco at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Friday, September 18, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Norco running back Dylan Troelstrup (21) carries the ball during a nonleague game against Santa Margarita at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Friday, September 18, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Santa Margarita running back Adrian Petero (26), right, breaks a tackle while carrying the ball during a nonleague game against Norco at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Friday, September 18, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
MISSION VIEJO — Santa Margarita’s defense is relying on several new contributors after losing many of its starters from its CIF State Open Division championship team last season.
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The inexperience on defense has not been an issue thus far and has instead been the strength of the team.
Santa Margarita got its second consecutive shutout and third of the season in a 28-0 win over Norco on Friday night at Saddleback College.
Norco (4-1) was undefeated entering Friday and had scored at least 49 points in each of its four games. The Cougars averaged 54 points per game and its closest margin of victory was a 30-point win over Etiwanda last week.
Santa Margarita (5-0) has allowed just seven points in its last three games and just 27 points total this season. Twenty of those points were by Centennial in a 21-20 win for the Eagles.
“It’s been incredible,” Santa Margarita coach Carson Palmer said. “A lot of youth on that side of the ball. They have five games under their belt now and they are coached by the best defensive coach in football in (Steve) Fifita. They’ve really picked up where we left off last year.”
A pair of freshmen have been key additions to Santa Margarita’s defense. Linebacker Aydan Steen blocked a punt that resulted in a touchdown and added a sack. Jayden Jack intercepted a pass and returned it to the 1-yard line which led to a touchdown on the ensuing play.
“They are playing well above their years,” Palmer said. “Really excited about that young group and the seniors they are following are great leaders in front of them. Shutouts are tough and three of them are amazing.”
Sophomore running back Adrian Petero had his second consecutive 100-plus yard rushing game with 141 yards and two touchdowns. He ran for four touchdowns last week in a win over Inderkum which was the most for a Santa Margarita player since 2011.
“I have to give thanks to my offensive line first,” Petero said. “They put their all into this game. We still got more work to do but I’m proud of these guys. We push each other to our limits.”
Fletch Palmer completed 10 of 16 passes for 134 yards with a touchdown. He had 102 passing yards in the first two drives of the game.
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On its first offensive possession, Santa Margarita went on a 6-play, 61-yard touchdown drive capped by a 10-yard touchdown pass from Palmer to Luke Gazzaniga.
Early in the second quarter, Petero ran for a 9-yard touchdown to finish a 10-play, 81-yard scoring drive to give the Eagles a 14-0 lead.
Steen blocked a Norco punt early in the third quarter and Jagger Apt returned it 10 yards for an Eagles touchdown.
Early in the fourth quarter, Luca Amaya ran for a 5-yard touchdown to extend Santa Margarita’s lead to 28-0.
Norco was backed up to its own 1-yard line and Jack returned an interception 10 yards back to the line of scrimmage. Petero ran for his second touchdown on the next play to give the Eagles a 34-0 lead.
Julian Medina completed 30 of 41 passes with 178 yards for Norco. Tegan Ogas caught 10 passes for 62 yards and Henderson Carter V led Norco’s defense in tackles.
The Eagles held Norco to six yards rushing when including yardage lost on sacks. Steen, Cruz Nunez and Isaia Vandermade each had sacks for the Eagles. Kingston Jimmerson and Daxton Karney combined for a sack and Vandermade recovered a fumble.
Santa Margarita is 5-0 for the first time since 2012 and has won 11 consecutive games which is the most in the Southern Section. The Eagles have a bye next week before hosting Mater Dei in its Trinity League opener. Santa Margarita narrowly beat Mater Dei 7-6 last season.
“I can’t wait. It will be a really good test for us to start Trinity League,” Palmer said. “We’re banged up. Bye week is hitting us at a good time.”
“We’re doing good but there’s a lot of stuff we can work on so we are going to take this bye week seriously,” Vandermade said. “We haven’t won nothing yet. We really haven’t. We have a standard at SM that we haven’t reached yet so we’re going to keep striving for it everyday.”
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