The Los Alamitos High football team came alive in the fourth quarter as it delivered a 27-24 victory against host Charter Oak on Friday, Sept. 13.
The Los Alamitos High football team came alive in the fourth quarter as it delivered a 27-24 victory against host Charter Oak on Friday, Sept. 13.
The matchup caught the attention of local media because two of the area’s most successful coaches squared off. The Griffins (2-0), led by skipper John Barnes, earned bragging rights, rallying from behind to score 20 points in the fourth quarter.
With 6:35 left to play, the Griffins scored the go-ahead touchdown. Quarterback Nick Wendell did the deed with a 28-yard pass to receiver Dashawn Gordon. Wendell, who missed last year due to an injury, threw 10 passes to Gordon for 100 yards. That included a 27-yard passing touchdown in the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead.
Wendell went 15 of 26 for 210 yards.
Neither team scored during the second quarter, which ended with the Griffins in front 7-0. However, the Chargers owned a 10-7 lead at the end of the third and expanded that to 17-7 in the fourth.
Griffins running back Kendall Brownlow, who finished with just 33 rushing yards, tied the game with a 2-yard run before Gordon’s second touchdown.
The Griffins scored for a third time when safety Damonte King recovered a fumble, which he returned for 50-yard touchdown. The ensuing PAT kick was blocked, making the score 27-17, and though the Chargers scored another touchdown, they Griffins snatched the following onside kick and ran out the clock.
Last year, Los Al fell to Charter Oak at Veterans Stadium during the second week of the season.
Barnes improved his career total to 303 wins.
Los Alamitos returns to action against Canyon (Anaheim) on Sept. 20. That game will be played at Canyon (1-2) at 7 p.m.