Santa Margarita Catholic has already made school history this football season. Now, the Eagles have another championship to chase. For the first time in program history, the team is the No. 1 playoff seed, after finishing the regular season undefeated 10-0.
SMCHS is the first school other than Mater Dei or St. John Bosco to be seeded first in Southern Section Division 1 since 2015.
The Eagles will host San Clemente in the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 quarterfinals on Friday, November 13, at Saddleback College Stadium in Mission Viejo.
Santa Margarita enters with 16 consecutive wins and both the 2025 Division 1 section championship and CIF State Open Division title to defend. San Clemente arrives with an 8–1 record.
The Eagles completed a 5–0 run through the Trinity League, closing the regular season with a 43–21 victory over Orange Lutheran. It was the program’s third undefeated regular season and its first since 1997.
That season has a familiar connection to this year’s team. Head coach Carson Palmer was Santa Margarita’s senior quarterback in 1997. Now, he is leading the Eagles from the sideline while his son, junior quarterback Fletch Palmer, directs the offense.
The team’s success starts with its strong defensive lineup. According to the school’s game notes, the Eagles allowed just 7.7 points and 157.6 total yards per game during the regular season. Opponents averaged only 40.1 rushing yards, and none of Santa Margarita’s 10 opponents reached 100 yards on the ground.
The Eagles also collected 40 sacks and forced 20 turnovers.
Freshman linebacker Aydan Steen finished the regular season with 74 tackles, including 18 tackles for loss and eight sacks. Sophomore defensive lineman Kingston Jimmerson added 16 tackles for loss and eight sacks, while freshman defensive end Kaleb Herndon contributed 11 tackles for loss and six sacks.
That group will have plenty to watch against San Clemente.
The Tritons leaned heavily on their running game in their most recent outing, a 21–14 victory over Edison. San Clemente rushed for 260 yards on 43 carries while attempting just four passes.
Junior running back Matthew Norman led the way with 119 yards on 17 carries. Senior Jaxson Rex provided the touchdowns, rushing for two and throwing for another while taking snaps in the wildcat formation. He finished with 76 rushing yards on 15 carries.
Rex, a BYU commit who also plays receiver and safety, gives the Tritons several ways to move the ball.
San Clemente has had to adjust after starting quarterback Preston Beck suffered a back injury in October. His status for the remainder of the season is uncertain, with freshman Koston James rising to the occasion to be the quarterback.
For Santa Margarita, maintaining its run defense could be a major factor in keeping the winning streak alive.
On offense, the Eagles have several players capable of turning a possession into points. Fletch Palmer completed 65.2 percent of his passes during the regular season, throwing for 1,501 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Sophomore running back Adrian Petero added 800 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns. He scored at least one touchdown in every regular-season game.
Junior receiver Grant Mosley enters the postseason following a three-touchdown performance against Orange Lutheran. He scored twice on the ground and once through the air, accounting for three touchdowns on just six touches.
Special teams have contributed, too. Santa Margarita has blocked nine kicks this season, putting the Eagles one away from the school record of 10 set in 1997.
There is also some history between these two programs. San Clemente ended Santa Margarita’s school-record 28-game winning streak with a 37–14 victory in 1998. The Eagles won the next two meetings, including a 27–13 victory in the 2011 Pac-5 Division championship game at Angel Stadium.
Friday brings another postseason meeting, with Santa Margarita looking to extend its second-longest winning streak in school history.
The winner will advance to the November 20 semifinals to face either St. John Bosco or Orange Lutheran.