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    Los Amigos football earns share of second straight league title with win over Santiago
    • October 27, 2023

    GARDEN GROVE — The Los Amigos football team secured a share of its second consecutive Garden Grove League title with a 24-8 win over Santiago on Thursday night at Garden Grove High.

    Lobos coach Melo Guess, in his third season at the helm, was ecstatic and noticeably soaked after receiving a celebratory ice bath from his players.

    “It feels great. I just heard it’s been 20 years, give or take, since Los Amigos has gone back-to-back,” Guess said, “so you talk about that type of stuff, there’s a lot of history involved, so that feels great and it feels great to do it with a great group of guys.”

    Rancho Alamitos also won Thursday to clinch a share of the Garden Grove League title, its sixth consecutive league title.

    Los Amigos (6-4 overall) and Rancho Alamitos (7-3) both finished 4-1 in league.

    Los Amigos quarterback Maysen Navarro, left, and running back Isaac Galindo helped the Lobos beat Santiago 24-8 and clinch a share of back-to-back league titles Thursday, Oct. 26. (Photo by David Delgado)

    La Quinta (6-3, 3-1) will attempt make it a three-way tie for the league title with a win over Bolsa Grande on Friday. It would be La Quinta’s first league championship since 1990.

    Los Amigos quarterback Maysen Navarro threw three touchdown passes, each to a different receiver, Miguel Radilla, Isaac alindo and Chris Flores.

    “He’s getting healthy and getting more in rhythm,” Guess said of Navarro. “We got Chris Flores back today, which is another target and no one has seen us throw the ball this much all year.”

    Santiago went on an opening drive but it ended with a turnover as quarterback James Gonzalez was intercepted by Marcelito Aviles on third-and-goal.

    Los Amigos’ run-heavy approach was temporarily ditched for passes on the first three plays of the game.

    “Every game we try to throw a wrinkle out,” Guess said. “We knew empty (backfield) would come out and catch them off guard.”

    Los Amigos got on the board first with a 25-yard field goal by Miguel Radilla on the first play of the second quarter. The drive started with 7:42 left in the first quarter.

    “They hold on to the ball and they’ve got a great running game and they’re very well coached.” Santiago coach Doug Ozsvath said.

    At one point in the second quarter, there were back-to-back-to-back turnovers by the two teams.

    Santiago (4-6, 1-4) threw an interception to Jacob Aguilar, then Navarro was picked off by Cavaliers defensive back Juan Valadez on the next drive.

    Lobos defensive end Alejandro Carrillo sacked Gonzalez on the next possession, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Aviles.

    “Three turnovers in the first half makes it difficult for us to come back from,” Ozsvath said.

    The Lobos scored a touchdown with 32 seconds left before halftime when Maysen Navarro found Radilla for a 6-yard pass and a 10-0 lead.

    Galindo made it 17-0 midway through the third quarter with his 44-yard TD on a screen pass.

    Guess dialed up a nice play call after a timeout just before Galindo’s score.

    “We knew they would load the box on us, which was going to give us some opportunities down the field, especially with the game plan this week for us to stretch the field,” Guess said. “And sure enough, we got Galindo and snuck him by everyone.

    “That was just a money and a timing play, you know what I mean, and timing is everything.”

    Navarro connected with Flores late in the third quarter for a 3-yard TD pass to make it 24-0.

    Victor Garcia scored the Cavaliers’ only touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter on an 11-yard pass from Gonzalez.

    “I’m super happy with my boys, my boys came out and fought every single week.” Ozsvath said.

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    ​ Orange County Register 

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