Los Amigos’ late TD tightens league race

La Quinta's Dylan Do celebrates a first half touchdown catch past Los Amigos' Zacharia Antolin during their Garden Grove League football game at Bolsa Grande High in Garden Grove, Calif. on Thursday, October 27, 2016. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
La Quinta head coach Andy Diaz addresses his players after the Aztecs' 17-16 loss to Los Amigos at Bolsa Grande High in Garden Grove, Calif. on Thursday, October 27, 2016. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
La Quinta head coach Andy Diaz watches from the sidelines during the Aztecs' 17-16 loss to Los Amigos at Bolsa Grande High in Garden Grove, Calif. on Thursday, October 27, 2016. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Amigos head coach Carl Agnew watches form the sidelines during the Lobos' 17-16 victory over previously unbeaten La Quinta at Bolsa Grande High in Garden Grove, Calif. on Thursday, October 27, 2016. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Amigos quarterback Steven Hernandez, who later scored the winning touchdown, bobbles the ball during the first half Thursday night against La Quinta.
La Quinta's Pedro Felix celebrates after tackling Los Amigos quarterback Isaiah Potts for a safety during their Garden Grove League football game at Bolsa Grande High in Garden Grove, Calif. on Thursday, October 27, 2016. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
La Quinta's Dylan Do, left, and Kyle Nguyen celebrate Do's first half touchdown reception against Los Amigos during their Garden Grove League football game at Bolsa Grande High in Garden Grove, Calif. on Thursday, October 27, 2016. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Amigos' Steven Hernandez gets away from La Quinta's Anton Ta during the first half of their Garden Grove League football game at Bolsa Grande High in Garden Grove, Calif. on Thursday, October 27, 2016. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
La Quinta cheerleaders celebrate a touchdown during the Aztecs' 17-16 loss to Los Amigos at Bolsa Grande High in Garden Grove, Calif. on Thursday, October 27, 2016. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
La Quinta's Dylan Do is brought down by a slew of Los Amigos players, including Steven Hernandez, right, during the first half of their Garden Grove League football game at Bolsa Grande High in Garden Grove, Calif. on Thursday, October 27, 2016. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The La Quinta marching band leads the team onto the field before the Aztecs' 17-16 loss to Los Amigos at Bolsa Grande High in Garden Grove, Calif. on Thursday, October 27, 2016. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Amigos' Steven Hernandez is brought down by La Quinta's Jayelen Walker during the first half of their Garden Grove League football game at Bolsa Grande High in Garden Grove, Calif. on Thursday, October 27, 2016. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A La Quinta drum major leads the band during their halftime performance during the Aztecs' 17-16 loss to Los Amigos at Bolsa Grande High in Garden Grove, Calif. on Thursday, October 27, 2016. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
La Quinta fans cheer on their team during the Aztecs' 17-16 loss to Los Amigos at Bolsa Grande High in Garden Grove, Calif. on Thursday, October 27, 2016. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The La Quinta mascot gets the crowd riled up before the Aztecs' 17-16 loss to Los Amigos at Bolsa Grande High in Garden Grove, Calif. on Thursday, October 27, 2016. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Amigos' Steven Hernandez evades a tackle attempt by La Quinta's Anton Ta in a Garden Grove League game.
The La Quinta color guard performs during halftime of the Aztecs' 17-16 loss to Los Amigos at Bolsa Grande High in Garden Grove, Calif. on Thursday, October 27, 2016. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
La Quinta's Nathan Medellin scores past Los Amigos' Josue Leyva for a first half touchdown during their Garden Grove League football game at Bolsa Grande High in Garden Grove, Calif. on Thursday, October 27, 2016. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
La Quinta cheerleaders watch as their members show off their tumbling routine during the Aztecs' 17-16 loss to Los Amigos at Bolsa Grande High in Garden Grove, Calif. on Thursday, October 27, 2016. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
La Quinta's Dylan Do, left, and quarterback Michael Nadeau celebrate connecting for a first half touchdown against Los Amigos during their Garden Grove League football game at Bolsa Grande High in Garden Grove, Calif. on Thursday, October 27, 2016. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Los Amigos cheerleaders are all smiles during the Lobos' 17-16 victory over previously unbeaten La Quinta at Bolsa Grande High in Garden Grove, Calif. on Thursday, October 27, 2016. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Amigos' Steven Hernandez starts a first half touchdown run against La Quinta during their Garden Grove League football game at Bolsa Grande High in Garden Grove, Calif. on Thursday, October 27, 2016. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
La Quinta fans cheer on their team during the Aztecs' 17-16 loss to Los Amigos at Bolsa Grande High in Garden Grove, Calif. on Thursday, October 27, 2016. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
La Quinta's Anton Ta lays out to tackle Los Amigos' Steven Hernandez during the first half of their Garden Grove League football game at Bolsa Grande High in Garden Grove, Calif. on Thursday, October 27, 2016. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A La Quinta drum major smiles as she leads the band during the Aztecs' 17-16 loss to Los Amigos at Bolsa Grande High in Garden Grove, Calif. on Thursday, October 27, 2016. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

By Steve Fryer | sfryer@scng.com | Orange County Register

October 27, 2016 at 11:08 p.m.

GARDEN GROVE – Quarterback Steven Hernandez scored on an 8-yard run to tie the score and Joseph Ramirez added the point-after kick for Los Amigos late in the fourth quarter of a 17-16 win over La Quinta in a Garden Grove League game Thursday at Bolsa Grande High.

Los Amigos and La Quinta are tied for second place in the Garden League. Both are 3-1 in league and in good position to claim a playoff berth, but nothing is settled just yet. Both trail league-leading Garden Grove by one-half game.

Defending league champion Garden Grove, 3-0 in league, plays Bolsa Grande (0-3) today. La Quinta plays Garden Grove at Garden Grove next Friday, the final day of the league and regular season.

Los Amigos plays Rancho Alamitos next Friday at Bolsa Grande High. Rancho Alamitos, 1-2 in league, plays Santiago (0-3) today.

La Quinta had a 16-10 lead at halftime. After a scoreless third quarter, Los Amigos got a break when the Lobos’ Walter Santana recovered a fumble at the Aztecs’ 32-yard line. Los Amigos ran six running plays from there, with Hernandez’ 8-yard scoring run finishing the drive.

Not only did Ramirez kick the extra point to providing the winning margin, he also had punts of 50 and 47 yards in the fourth quarter and made a field goal in the first half.

Hernandez finished with 223 rushing yards on 34 carries. He scored on a 49-yard run in the second quarter.

La Quinta quarterback Michael Nadeau threw for 196 yards and two TDs.

La Quinta scored a touchdown on its first possession. Nadeau, a 6-foot-4, 190-pound sophomore, connected with Dylan Do on a 19-yard scoring pass.

Ramirez kicked a 33-yard field goal later in the first quarter to trim the Aztecs’ lead to 7-3.

Nadeau lofted a 33-yard TD pass to Nathan Medellin in the second quarter to extend La Quinta’s advantage to 14-3. Los Amigos responded with Hernandez’s 49-yard touchdown run.

La Quinta added two points on the final play of the second quarter when Aztecs linebacker Peter Felix sacked Los Amigos quarterback Isaiah Potts in the end zone to move the La Quinta lead to 16-10. It was Felix’ second sack in as many plays. Before the safety, Felix sacked Potts for a 13-yard loss to push Los Amigos back to its 7-yard line.

Hernandez had 151 rushing yards in the first half.

Contact the writer: sfryer@scng.com