GARDEN GROVE – It hasn’t been an easy year for Bolsa Grande or Santiago, but when the two winless football teams met, it was Santiago that got a moment of relief.
Santiago forced turnovers and capitalized to earn its first victory of the season by beating Bolsa Grande, 38-6, in a Garden Grove League game at Bolsa Grande on Thursday.
Bolsa Grande (0-9, 0-4) opened the scoring late in the first quarter.
After a 29-yard pass by running back Elian Gallegos on a pitch play, Gallegos ran in a 2-yard touchdown for a 6-0 lead.
However, the game then swung to Santiago (1-8, 1-3).
Eligio Quintero took the ensuing kickoff and found a huge hole for a 95-yard return and a 7-6 lead for Santiago with 41 seconds left in the first quarter.
“He’s the leader of the team,” Santiago coach Brandon Croft said. “Vocally, spiritually, emotionally, physically. He’s our lead dog. Our bull.”
Three plays later, Quintero forced a fumble that was recovered by Darwin Lira. Angel Tajimora found Dylan Ourng for an 8-yard touchdown pass.
Bolsa Grande fumbled the snap on the next play, and Carlos Ayala recovered the ball in the end zone for a 21-6 lead just over two minutes into the second quarter.
Bolsa Grande outgained Santiago, 163-43, in the first half, but Santiago held a 24-6 lead at halftime.
Tajimaroa added a 52-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, and Ourng scored on a 5-yard run in the fourth.
Orung finished with 24 carries for 131 yards, a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown.
