Tartans’ prowess says it all

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — The drive, all the rage at Sage Hill School since the last time the football team played. Backed up late on their own 14, the Lightning came back to win by one point.

That was Oct. 19, seems like a long time. Once again the Lightning understood they were in a tight spot. At St. Margaret’s on Monday night, against their rival after the fires in Orange County made it unhealthy to play Friday and Saturday.

The air quality improved, setting the stage for an unusual night to play football. As for another drive? The Tartans definitely gave Sage Hill another drive to remember. The one back home to Newport Coast, as St. Margaret’s won, 84-14, giving the Lightning much to ponder.

What went wrong in the Academy League opener? Nothing got in the way of St. Margaret’s, ranked No. 1 in the CIF Southern Section Northeast Division, as it improved to 8-0.

If you asked Coach Harry Welch, in his first year at St. Margaret’s, the Lightning didn’t show respect. After handing No. 8 Sage Hill (6-2) its worst defeat in school history, Welch now has it.

“We read the newspapers and things like that and we read where they were quoted as saying they were better athletes than we were and they’d be waiting for this game since the very first practice,” Welch said. “That helped us focus a little bit more throughout the game. We took it somewhat as a challenge. And a little personal maybe. We thought [there has] to be more respect for the No. 1 team in the CIF.”

Welch, a legend at Canyon of Canyon Country for winning one state and five section crowns, has quickly learned this St. Margaret’s-Sage Hill rivalry is heated. If you can call it a rivalry in football because St. Margaret’s, the defending league and section champion, has never lost to Sage Hill.

This one was uglier than the rest, which the Tartans won by an average of 39.2 points per game. Hunter Steffien rammed through the defense for 135 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 14 carries. The backup, John Murayama, almost a foot shorter and 80 pounds lighter than the 6-2, 205-pound Steffien, ran six times for 124 yards and two touchdowns.

Eleven of St. Margaret’s touchdowns came on the ground, helping produce a 369-52 advantage in rushing yards against the visitors.

The other Tartans’ score was a 26-yard interception return. McGee, who threw two interceptions, has just four for the season, to go with his impressive 26 touchdowns, including two more Monday.

Leading, 63-8, with 8 minutes, 6 seconds left in the third, Welch asked the referees for a favor.

“I asked for a running clock,” Welch said. “It wasn’t like we were [running up the score].”

Sage Hill receiver Michael Higgins thought otherwise.

The last time the Lightning got blown out, a 47-0 loss at home to Bakersfield Christian on Sept. 28, he said it felt different.

“Bakersfield just let up when they knew they were going to win, unlike St. Margaret’s,” Higgins said. “They kept like talking smack the whole game. I was like, ‘All right, you guys are good.’”

Sage Hill first-year coach Pete Anderson feels the same away about the potent Tartans, who have won 22 straight games, dating back to last season.

When Welch shook Anderson’s hand afterward, Anderson wasn’t smiling. Still, Anderson said he didn’t believe Welch ran up the score.

But Welch now knows where his team stands.

“Obviously the winner’s in the driver seat for the league championship and the CIF [playoff] seedings,” he said. “The loser’s got a tougher road.”

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at david.carrillo@latimes.com.

FIRST QUARTER

SM – Morrison 10 run (Sutro kick)

SH – Witte 69 pass from McGee (Oklejas pass from McGee), 3:50.

SM – Hiller 12 run (kick failed), 1:27.

SECOND QUARTER

SM – Steffien 43 run (11 pass from Hiller), 11:39.

SM – Steffien 1 run (Sutro kick), 6:12.

SM – Hiller 3 run (Sutro kick), 3:07.

SM – Steffien 5 run (Sutro kick), 1:58.

THIRD QUARTER

SM – Steffien 14 run (Sutro kick), 9:35.

SM – Morrison 10 run (Sutro kick), 8:27.

SM – Newman 26 INT return (Sutro kick), 8:06.

SM – Mothander 4 run (Sutro kick), 4:34.

SH – Witte 65 pass from McGee (pass failed), 1:57.

FOURTH QUARTER

SM – Murayama 38 run (Sutro kick), 11:10.

SM – Murayama 13 run (Sutro kick), 6:25.

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

SH – Torres, 9-41; Higgins, 5-11; Multari, 2-5; Witte, 5-1; McGee, 8-minus 6.

SM – Steffien, 13-135, 4 TDs; Murayama, 6-124, 2 TDs; Hiller, 5-73, 2TDs; Morrison, 2-20, 2 TD; Mothander, 6-11, 1 TD; Brolic, 1-6.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

SH – McGee, 13-26-2, 218, 2 TDs.

SM – Hiller, 8-9-0, 105.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

SH – Witte, 6-180, 2 TDs; Higgins, 3-20; Multari, 1-11; Oklejas, 1-6; Torres, 2-1.

SM – Morrison, 2-39; Farhang, 4-39; Steffien, 2-27.