Skip to content
Author

ANAHEIM – Rancho Alamitos edged Savanna, 25-23, in a nonleague game Friday at Glover Stadium.

The matchup was a clash of styles – the visiting Vaqueros relying on their passing attack, while Savanna relied on its stable of reliable running backs.

Rancho Alamitos started the contest with some trickery. Quarterback Blake Culbert threw a lateral pass to Cross Faletoi, who stopped, looked down the field and fired a pass to Cristian Villareal across the middle for a 76-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage.

Savanna responded in its usual way. Coach Roger Whalen called the number of his lead back, Sam Delgadillo, 18 times in the first half, resulting in 97 yards rushing.

With 2:14 left in the second quarter, Savanna running back Angel Roberts scampered into the end zone from 9 yards out to reduce the Rebels’ deficit to 12-10.

Savanna’s lead wide receiver, Nate Diez, hauled in a 39-yard touchdown pass from Ryley Smith to start the third quarter. Later, he found the left edge, rushing for a 70-yard touchdown to put Savanna ahead, 23-19, on the last play of the third quarter.

Rancho Alamitos’ Jesse Calendario put on his own show. Calendario scored twice and got behind Savanna’s defense with 5:53 left in the fourth quarter for a 49-yard touchdown that put the Vaqueros back on top, 25-23.

The Rebels could not muster a drive to take back the lead.

Culbert finished the night 16 of 24 for 260 yards and two touchdowns.