Santa Margarita shuts down Mater Dei for

Trent Mosley itched and itched, the discomfort of standing on the sideline — not his foot injury that held him out of motion since Aug. 22 — weighing on the senior receiver.

The USC commit picked an distinctive time to return. Trailing by six, with 5:06 remaining in the sport, Mosley took the snap in the wildcat formation and swerved his manner into the end zone for a landing.

“It sucked just knowing I couldn’t go out there and help my teammates,” Mosley said. “Now I’m back and we’re getting better.”

The rating and the hush of the usually raucous Santa Ana Stadium crowd told the story: For the first time in a long while, the Trinity League is up for grabs. Santa Margarita (5-2, 2-0) performed Southern Section stunner on Friday evening at Santa Ana Stadium, upsetting Mater Dei 7-6 to set the stage for a thrilling Trinity League finale after the Eagles took down the Monarchs (4-2, 1-1) for the first time since 2013.

“Incredible,” Santa Margarita coach Carson Palmer said. “They’ve been playing like the best defense in the country all year long, every week.”

Palmer pointed to defensive coordinator Steve Fifita, who served as interim head coach during last season and determined to keep on the Eagles’ employees as the catalyst for Santa Margarita’s success. Mater Dei had only 175 yards on offense Friday.

“They’re [Fifita’s] heartbeat on defense,” Palmer said of the group, which incorporates Fifita’s nephew Dash, a senior linebacker.

Pound-for-pound, the defensive strains of Santa Margarita and Mater Dei wouldn’t budge.

Eagles senior linebacker Vai Manutai would secure a sack — while moments later Monarchs linemen Montana Loilolo and Matamatagi Uiagalelei stormed through for sacks of their own. Monarchs linebacker Shaun Scott compelled a fumble and earned 1 1/2 sacks as the Eagles couldn’t break 25 speeding yards.

Mater Dei quarterback Ryan Hopkins never received snug — outdoors of a 10-yard landing strike to Kayden Dixon-Wyatt in the first quarter — finally throwing an interception to Eagles defensive back Davide Morales as the third quarter got here to a close.

“We’re right there, but we’re not quite there,” said Mater Dei coach Raul Lara, referring to performs such as Hopkins overthrowing extensive receiver Gavin Honore for a potential game-winning landing, which instead turned a turnover on downs with 2:06 remaining.

Lara continued: “This game of football is a great tool to teach young men life skills. Not everything in life is going to be perfect.”

Quarterback Trace Johnson of Santa Margarita couldn’t get snug , tossing two interceptions into the arms of Mater Dei defensive back CJ Lavender Jr.

When Johnson discovered open space, it was thanks to Mosley.

For a team-high six catches for 51 yards, Mosley — who often lined up next to his brother Grant in the slot — helped set up the game-winning drive after freshman working back Adrian Petero hauled in a 59-yard catch to carry the Eagles into Monarchs’ territory.

Trent Mosley’s punch in and the purpose after — which was enough to win after a failed two-point conversion after Dixon-Wyatt’s rating — now units up unprecedented territory in current Trinity League seasons.

Yes, Mater Dei and St. John Bosco (which defeated Orange Lutheran 48-0 Friday) will still be contenders.

But the Eagles, who also maintain a win over Corona Centennial, can definitely contemplate themselves as contenders for the league’s crown — and perhaps even Division 1 glory. Santa Margarita performs St. John Bosco on Friday at Trabuco Hills.

“We can go forever,” Trent Mosley said. “The culture we have, the bond we have — I know what we’re capable of.”