MISSION VIEJO – Carson Palmer, who won plenty of football games when he was Santa Margarita’s quarterback, got his first win Thursday as the school’s football coach.
Adrian Petero’s 1-yard run, with plenty of push from the offensive line, in overtime gave the Eagles a 33-27 win over Centennial in a nonleague game at Trabuco Hills High.
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Santa Margarita coach Carson Palmer talks to the referees during a nonleague game against Centennial on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
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Santa Margarita coach Carson Palmer talks to the referees during a nonleague game against Centennial on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
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Santa Margarita, ranked No. 3 in the Orange County Top 25, lost to No. 2 Mission Viejo last week 7-3 in Palmer’s debut.
The Eagles took a 27-14 lead into the fourth quarter. Centennial, which beat Servite 42-14 last week, scored two touchdowns in the final quarter, including a 43-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Dominick Catalano to Ty Plinski with 14 seconds left to make it 27-27.
On the Huskies’ point-after attempt, a high snap forced the kick to be was booted into the surging Eagles line to keep the game at 27-27.
The game officials called a roughing the kicker penalty on Santa Margarita on the play. After much discussion, it was ruled that since the kick was blocked the roughing the kicker penalty could not be called.
Centennial got the ball first in overtime. The Huskies failed to convert on fourth down. That gave the ball to the Eagles, who ran the ball on eight of their nine plays in OT. Petero, a freshman, broke free of tackles from the 1-yard line to reach the end zone for the game-winning points.
Santa Margarita freshman Adrian Petero rumbles for the game-winning TD.
Final: Santa Margarita 33, Centennial 27 in overtime. Great game @ocvarsity @SMCHS_Football @SMCHSEagles @a_peteroo @latsondheimer @GregBiggins @SteveFryer @ocvarsityguy @PrepRedzoneCA pic.twitter.com/jMjnpZLmZT
— Michael Huntley (@mikehuntley63) August 29, 2025
Palmer said winning as a coach is no different than winning as a player.
“It feels good when you’re a player, it feels good when you’re a coach,” Palmer said. “And the losses hurt the same when you’re a player or a coach.
“I’m proud of the guys. It was a tough game we had taken care of, and we let (Centennial) back in. A lot of lessons for these guys to learn.”
Santa Margarita senior receiver Trent Mosley, an All-Orange County first-team selection as a sophomore and junior, did not play because of a foot injury.
Eagles sophomore Ryan Clark had eight receptions for 79 yards and a touchdown. Junior tight end Luke Gazzaniga had six receptions for 81 yards, including a crucial 7-yard catch for a first down in overtime.
Petero rushed for 103 yards on 11 carries. Senior quarterback Trace Johnson passed for 176 yards.
Eagles sophomore Ca’ron Williams had two interceptions, including one he returned 62 yards for a second-quarter touchdown. Jayden Crowder also had an interception for Santa Margarita.
The Santa Margarita defense made plenty of big plays, led by linebackers Dash Fifita and Alek Holani and defensive lineman Manoah Faupusa and several others.
Also missing from the game was Centennial head coach Matt Logan, who was in a hospital Thursday for precautionary evaluation. Logan reported that he was feeling well and was watching a livestream of the game.
Santa Margarita had a 20-7 lead at halftime. Centennial scored a touchdown in the third quarter on a 3-yard run by Malaki Davis.
The Eagles made it 27-14 on a 39-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to Grant Mosley, a perfectly-placed ball that Mosley grabbed in stride.
Centennial scored on a 77-yard pass from Catalano to Plinski to cut the Eagles’ lead to 27-21 with 2:59 left in the game.
Centennial scored on the game’s first play from scrimmage on a double pass. Catalano threw to his left to Keawe Browne, and Browne heaved the ball downfield to Tyler George, who jogged unchallenged to the end zone for a 7-0 lead.
Santa Margarita scored a touchdown on its first possession, too. Johnson dropped back, saw only covered receivers before sprinting to his right and to the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown run. The point-after kick was blocked, leaving Centennial with a 7-6 lead.
The Eagles went ahead 13-7 with 4:20 left in the first quarter on a 21-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to Clark.
Williams picked off a pass and returned it 62 yards for a touchdown and a 20-7 lead with 46 seconds to go in the second quarter.
In the HSratings.com California rankings Centennial is No. 4 and Santa Margarita is No. 7.
Santa Margarita, which is playing football home games at Trabuco Hills this season, next plays an away game at Highland of Palmdale on Sept. 5.
Centennial plays Utah’s Bingham at home on Sept. 6.
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