GARDEN GROVE – Quarterback Nick Brown only threw for one touchdown pass, but the Rancho Alamitos football team still walked off the field victorious Friday night.
Brown, who entered the game against Anaheim leading the county with 21 touchdown passes, didn’t add to his total until the fourth quarter.
However, running back Justin Kanyavong found his way to the end zone three times to help lead the Vaqueros to a 38-14 e victory over Anaheim at Bolsa Grande High.
“I figured they would try to go five in the box,” Rancho Alamitos coach Mike Enright said. “But we were able to run the ball. Justin (Kanyavong) is a good running back. He was able to get us that cushion at halftime.
“Then they (Anaheim) started squeezing us and taken it (the run) away from us a little bit and we were able to throw the ball a little bit better, not great, but better.”
Anaheim (3-1) was able to keep the pressure on Brown, disrupting the Vaqueros’ passing attack at times. Other times, they were unable to contain the speedy Kanyavong.
Kanyavong finished with 151 rushing yards on 22 carries. Brown completed 19 of 34 passes for 259 yards with one touchdown and an interception, just his second this season.
“If they’re going to let us run the ball, that’s what we’re going to do,” Enright said. “He has to block a lot in our offense. He’s a tough, unselfish kid.”
Kanyavong scored two of his touchdowns (32 and 1 yard) in the first half to give the Vaqueros (4-1) a 21-0 lead at halftime.
Anaheim scored on its first possession of the second half to cut the score to 21-7. Early in the fourth, Kanyavong again scored, this time from 13 yards for a 28-7 lead. The Colonists didn’t get closer than 14 points the remainder of the game.
Enright said last week that Kanyavong had just five carries. He enjoyed the heavy workload this week.
“It felt great,” Kanyavong said. “I just do it for my team. They keep me motivated and they push me for everything.”
The Vaqueros will open up Garden Grove League play next week against rival Garden Grove.
Anaheim opens its Orange League schedule against Santa Ana Valley.
The Colonists’ two touchdowns came on passes from Brandon Lopez to Robert Barajas, for gains of 56 and 29 yards.
Contact the writer: dcalhoun@ocregister.com
