When the Los Alamitos High football team scored with 7:32 left in the game to potentially pull within one score of tying the game, it ignited the Griffins and seemed to swing momentum to their side.
But a botched extra point conversion left them trailing 29-20 and that would be as close as the Griffins would get. La Mirada would tack on a late touchdown to gain the final edge, 36-20, as the Griffins’ season ended one game short of a CIF-SS, Division 3 finals appearance.
When the Los Alamitos High football team scored with 7:32 left in the game to potentially pull within one score of tying the game, it ignited the Griffins and seemed to swing momentum to their side.
But a botched extra point conversion left them trailing 29-20 and that would be as close as the Griffins would get. La Mirada would tack on a late touchdown to gain the final edge, 36-20, as the Griffins’ season ended one game short of a CIF-SS, Division 3 finals appearance.
La Mirada led 29-14 when the Griffins forced a punt by the Matadors with 7:59 left in the game. Los Alamitos struck quickly with a four play drive that went 53 yards and ended with a 35-yard catch and run by Keanu Norman from Hayden Smith that cut the lead to 29-20. The Griffins had responded several times to La Mirada strikes.
“The kids played so hard, they weren’t willing to give up anything,” Griffin Head Coach RayFenton said. “We played to win the game. It just absolutely wasn’t our night as far as some of the breaks.”
La Mirada struck first to take a 6-0 lead, but the Griffins fought back. A touchdown pass from Smith to Drew Platt gave the Griffins a 7-6 lead. After the Matadors regained the lead 13-7, the Griffins went on another drive, going 79 yards to retake the lead.
Platt had run into a crowd of defenders, but kept pushing and somehow broke free to run 47 yards to the Matador four yard line. Dylan Laurent capped the drive with a four-yard touchdown run to give the Griffins a 14-13 lead with 2:49 left in the first half.
La Mirada would strike quickly with a big play pass to regain the lead, 20-14. But the Griffins would again fight back, driving to the Matador goal line before an interception ended the drive and the half.
The Griffins had another chance in the second half after a short punt led them to a drive to the Matador eight yard line. However, a pass attempt on fourth and three came up short and the Matadors took over possession.
The loss was tough for the Griffins, but did not overshadow what Fenton said was a great year for the team. It was his first as head coach of the program.
“I’m so proud of them, so glad to be associated with them,” Fenton said. “They’re great kids and it’s been a blessing to be at Los Al.”