Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now
LONG BEACH — Los Alamitos’ football team learned about its standing in the community and the significance of its postseason run during a practice on Thanksgiving last week.
The Griffins hosted about 50 alumni players, including one who shared an impressive answer to a question from coach Ray Fenton.
“How many of you have rings?” the coach asked in a reference to CIF-SS championships.
“I have three,” the alumnus answered.
Fenton marveled at the support from “the ghosts of the past”, and then watched his players deliver the school’s first section title since 2002.
On Friday, the Griffins’ next generation made more history.
Los Alamitos appeared in the CIF Southern California Regional for first time it played host to Cathedral Catholic in the Division 1-AA final at Veterans Stadium.
The San Diego Section powerhouse ended the Griffins’ season with 42-21 victory but not Los Alamitos’ legacy as the CIF-SS Division 2 champion.
“We’re super proud of having the opportunity to hang (a championship banner) up there (in the gym),” Fenton said. “It just shows that hard work works, and team chemistry is probably the most important thing of making a team go.”
“We’re definitely a brotherhood,” said Los Alamitos senior defensive end Jackson Renger, who had two sacks. “We work as a community and a family.”
In advancing to the state final next weekend against Folsom, Cathedral Catholic (11-2) received three touchdowns apiece from standout juniors Honor Fa’alave-Johnson and Isaac Cook.
Fa’alave-Johnson rushed for 157 yards while while Cook had seven catches for 185 yards.
The Dons’ strong second half was too much for Los Alamitos (12-3), which received 195 yards on 21 carries from junior Kamden Tillis.
After the teams played to 14-14 tie in the first half, Cathedral Catholic opened a 28-14 lead in the third quarter on a pair of long touchdown receptions by Cook from Brady Palmer.
Cook caught a 56-yard touchdown on the opening possession of the second half as the Dons took their first lead.
The junior hauled in a 79-yard touchdown reception from Palmer on third-and-17 in the middle of the third.
The Dons scored after converting a fourth-and-1 from their 26 behind a large offensive line.
On the ensuing possession, Cathedral Catholic’s defense delivered one of the biggest plays. The Dons stopped the Griffins’ Lenny Ibarra on a fourth-and-goal from the 1 with 3:07 left in the third.
Cathedral Catholic then drove 98 yards to open a 35-14 lead on a 20-yard TD run by Fa’alave-Johnson.
Los Alamitos led twice by seven points in the first half.
The Griffins opened the first quarter with a nine-play, 75-yard scoring drive capped by a 26-yard touchdown pass from Colin Creason to Ashton Gogue.
On the strike, Gogue ran a crossing route from his outside position and raced away from coverage to reach the end zone.
Los Alamitos attempted an onside kick on the ensuing kickoff but Cathedral Catholic recovered. The Dons drove for a 13-yard touchdown run by Fa’alave-Johnson, who scored on fourth-and-3 with 4:58 left in the first.
But Los Alamitos’ offense, which entered averaging 36.7 points, kept producing early. On their second possession, the Griffins marched 75 yards on 10 plays for a 2-yard touchdown run by Creason with 2:18 remaining in the opening quarter.
After Cathedral Catholic tied the score 14-14 late in the first half on 1-yard run by Fa’alave-Johnson, the Griffins drove for a go-ahead field goal but the boot from 26 yards missed on the final play. Tillis set up the attempt by zig-zagging run for 25 yards to the 9.
Folsom defeated Riordan 42-38 in the NorCal final.