GARDEN GROVE – Rancho Alamitos expected to claim a playoff berth Friday night regardless of what occurred in its Garden Grove League showdown with Los Amigos, but a 24-7 victory likely means the Vaqueros will finish second after four straight third-place finishes.
That’s something, Coach Mike Enright said, after his defense took command in the second half of a tight game, slowed down the Lobos’ running game, and spearheaded an impressive triumph at Garden Grove High.
Blake Culbert completed 29 of 40 passes for 228 yards and Miguel Rosales ran for 87 yards and two touchdowns as Rancho (7-2, 3-1), ranked eighth in the Southern Division, beat the Lobos (3-6, 3-1) for the first time since 2011.
“The higher you can finish, the better it is,” Enright said. “I told my team last year: Get in the playoffs and anything can happen, and (we reached the Southern Division) final. This team, it’s the same way. Keep playing hard and good things will happen.”
Both teams clinched postseason spots when Garden Grove beat La Quinta, and they could share the league title if the Vaqueros beat Bolsa Grande (expected) and Los Amigos upsets Garden Grove (highly unlikely) next week.
Los Amigos was held more than 100 yards below its 295-per-game rushing average, and Jose Olvera gained just 18 yards on nine carries in the second half after going for 137 before halftime.
Rancho went ahead on a 5-yard Culbert pass to Joe Navar in the second quarter, added to it with Emmanuel Cuevas’ 41-yard field goal on its first drive of the second half, then made it 17-0 on a 1-yard Rosales burst.
Los Amigos replied with an 80-yard drive – its only sustained possession of the second half – with Olvera running the final yard.
Los Amigos coach Carl Agnew acknowledged after the game that clinching a playoff berth took some of the sting out of the defeat.
“A little. It definitely does,” he said. “At least with Grove taking care of business over there, we know we’re in the playoffs, but unless we beat Grove nexy week, I guarantee we’re going to play the North Hills League No. 1 (to open the playoffs), and it’s going to be tough to beat them. It’s either going to be Canyon, El Mo or Brea Olinda. It doesn’t matter which it is, it’s going to be tough.”