Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Bohaboy! Santa Margarita Defeats Mater Dei, Wins Trinity League Title

Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games.

In Orange County, few girls soccer matches top the billing of Santa Margarita at Mater Dei, and, as she proved once again Wednesday afternoon, perhaps no girls soccer player looms larger than Lauren Bohaboy.

Scoring four goals with a barrage of moves on one of the toughest road pitches in the county, Bohaboy helped the Eagles avenge their only Trinity League loss and capture their second consecutive league championship, 4-1.

"We did what we wanted to do, but it was also 'The Bo Show,'" Santa Margarita coach Chuck Morales said. "The great players find a way to score. The great players... You can't stop them."

But while Bohaboy, a two-time ESPN Rise All-American, is without question a great player, there is also no questioning the talent of her teammates.

Bohaboy made it 1-0 in the 19th minute when she slid between defenders to squirm a dribbler to the far post, but the play wouldn't have been possible if not for Amanda Harryman, who deflected a clear-out in the box, sending the ricochet toward Bohaboy.

Alina Cheatham stole back momentum for the Monarchs nine minutes later with a top-shelf, far-post screamer from 40 yards out, making it 1-1 heading into the break.

Mater Dei (12-4-5, 5-1-2 in league) managed four shots in the first half, while the Eagles tallied seven, and possession was split likewise, with the edge slightly favoring the road team. But the second half could only be described as a lopsided affair, as Santa Margarita spent most of the 40 minutes making life miserable for Monarchs' goalkeeper Emily Caucus.

The Eagles rattled off 10 shots, including three Bohaboy goals in the 6th, 20th and 36th minutes.

Samantha Trenary set Bohaboy up to make it 2-1 after stealing possession at midfield and sending a through to the senior striker, who raced around a defender and sent home a left-footed beauty that peppered the net from 35 yards away.

"We were very determined and we came out focused because they beat us at home," Bohaboy said. "I felt like [my teammates] needed me this game. I needed to work hard on movement without the ball to create space for myself."

Create space she did.

Fourteen minutes later, Bohaboy demoralized the Monarchs by notching a two-goal advantage when Leigh Edwards started her on a march toward the box that ended with Bohaboy beating a charging Caucus with another far-post roller.

Bohaboy added the cherry-on-top goal off a Jennifer Donegan assist with four minutes to go, then exited the field early to a standing ovation from the Santa Margarita sideline.

"This is going to give us great momentum heading into the postseason," she said.

Haley Guerrero finished with six saves for the Eagles, while Caucus tallied eight for the Monarchs.

Santa Margarita (21-4-2), the No. 5 team in the CIF Southern Section Divison 1 coaches' poll and the fifth best team in the county, according to the O.C. Register, finished the Trinity League season 6-1-1, and will now await the announcement of the Division 1 playoff seedings on Monday to determine its first-round playoff opponent.

When asked if she felt anyone could beat the Eagles playing at their best, Bohaboy replied with a smile, "I don't think anyone can."