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Associate mug of Kenny Connolly, Anaheim reporter.

Date shot: 12/31/2012 . Photo by KATE LUCAS /  ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

CHINO HILLS – Chino Hills’ defense generated three turnovers and its offense cashed those takeaways into 21 points, as the Huskies preyed on Los Alamitos’ miscues in their 38-30 win in Friday night’s West Valley Division first-round playoff game at Chino Hills High.

The fourth-seeded Huskies (9-2) advance to play Valencia of Valencia in next Friday’s second round, while the Griffins saw its season come to an end, prematurely in the eyes of Coach John Barnes.

“It’s tough, we gave them the game,” the longtime Griffins coach said. “We just mistaked ourselves out of this.”

Los Al quarterback Jack Telenko tossed three second-quarter touchdown passes, the third being a 42-yard bomb to Jacob Gasser, giving the Griffins what looked to be a commanding 27-10 lead with just 1:19 remaining in the half.

Chino Hills’ Curtis Price single-handedly willed his squad back into the game in the final minute of the half, however. The Huskies versatile back busted a 34-yard run on the ensuing drive, which helped set up his 14-yard touchdown catch with 33 seconds left on the clock.

After Los Al fumbled the ensuing kickoff, Price was on the receiving end of a 43-yard strike that gave Chino Hills possession at the 1-yard line with five seconds left. The Huskies gambled and scored on Tyriq Wilson’s 1-yard touchdown catch.

In 79 seconds time, Los Al’s 17-point lead was trimmed to just three points.

Chino Hills took the lead for good on a 13-play, 74-yard touchdown drive that followed Telenko’s lone interception midway through the third quarter.

Gasser’s 37-yard field goal did cut Los Al’s deficit to a single point with 8:34 to play in the fourth, but Price’s playmaking ability again haunted the Grffins on the ensuing drive.

Facing a third-and-13 with just more than three minutes to play, Huskies quarterback Caleb Arreola connected with Price for a 38-yard score that gave Chino Hills its largest lead of the night.

Price finished 164 yards of total offense and two touchdowns on 13 touches.

Telenko completed 22 of his 34 passes for 237 yards and three touchdowns. The senior signal caller guided the Griffins offense all the way down the Chino Hills 16-yard line on their final possession.

Unable to convert a fourth-and-seven with 56 seconds on the clock, Los Al turned the ball over on downs, effectively ending its season.

Contact the writer: kconnolly@ocregister.com