Garden Grove opens league in fine style

GARDEN GROVE - Four games remain to be played, but Garden Grove might have cleared its biggest obstacle on its road to a league championship.

The Argonauts beat perhaps their top challenger in the Garden Grove League, and did so convincingly with a 35-7 victory over Rancho Alamitos in the league opener for both Thursday at Bolsa Grande.

Rancho Alamitos coach Mike Enright was impressed — even before the game.

"I told the other coaches in the league this is the best team I've coached against, as far as other teams in this league," said Enright, in his 10th season coaching Rancho. "They're better than those really good Los Amigos teams of a few years ago ... they had only four outstanding players. We could always compete against those teams, but this team (Garden Grove) is just more well-rounded."

The Argonauts, ranked No. 2 in the CIF-Southern Section's Southern Division, behind Norwalk, are 6-0 overall. Rancho Alamitos is 3-3.

Garden Grove finished in a three-way tie last year for the league championship with Los Amigos and Santiago. All had 4-1 league records. Garden Grove's most recent outright league championship was in 1999.

Quarterback Sean Young had a big night for the Argonauts, passing for 253 yards and three touchdowns on an efficient 8-for-10 effort while rushing for 67 yards and a touchdown.

Young and his teammates had No.45 marked on their faces, towels and other places to commemorate the loss of team leader Kevin Telles, who died after collapsing after a play in the season opener last month.

Garden Grove scored on its first possession, as running back Joshua Sepulveda scored on a 4-yard run. The extra-point kick missed, leaving the Argonauts with a 6-0 lead.

The Argos scored again later in the quarter, when Young, under pressure lofted a pass to wide-open tight end Jacob Smith in the end zone. Richard Bain's kick was good this time to make it 14-0.

Young connected with Avery Williams on a 98-yard touchdown pass play in the second quarter.