MISSION VIEJO – Santa Margarita football coach Carson Palmer was asked who was the most improved Eagles player from the start of the season to the end of the season, which was a 47-13 win over De La Salle in the CIF State Open Division championship game at Saddleback College.

“Oooh, that’s a good question,” Palmer said.

It was suggested that senior quarterback Trace Johnson, who moved from Florida to play at Santa Margarita his senior year, had been the most improved player.

“Yeah, yeah,” Palmer said. “He got more and more comfortable. He’s running a very challenging system to run.”

Palmer thought it over some more.

“He is the most improved player. As the games got bigger he played bigger.”

Johnson’s numbers were fine in the first half of the season. But there were overthrows here,

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