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    Portola football survives threat from Buena Park to stay unbeaten in league
    • October 25, 2025

    BUENA PARK – Four takeaways and a stifling defense turned out to be just enough for Portola to remain unbeaten in the Omicron League with a 23-20 victory over Buena Park on Friday night.

    Kareem Abdelhakim intercepted two passes, Malachi Moore made another, and the Bulldogs weathered a second-quarter comeback by Buena Park.

    Portola (6-3, 4-0) looked unstoppable after taking a 10-0 lead. Masen Le finished a five-minute opening drive with a 3-yard touchdown run. A minute later, Moore’s 26-yard interception return to the Coyote 12-yard line led to the first of Ishaan Kedia’s three field goals, a 28-yarder.

    “There are three parts to the game, offense, defense and special teams, and we won two of those three tonight,” Portola coach Peter Abe said.

    Portola linebacker Alex Mapstone, left, stops Alex Blancas of Buena Park for a 2-yard loss on second-and-goal in the second quarter Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. (Photo by Steve Dulas)
    Portola linebacker Alex Mapstone, left, stops Alex Blancas of Buena Park for a 2-yard loss on second-and-goal in the second quarter Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. (Photo by Steve Dulas)

    Buena Park (4-5, 1-3) had 16 yards of total offense in the first quarter, and did not make a first down until Kevin Garcia and Damian Rodriguez connected on a 38-yard touchdown pass with 10:19 left in the first half.

    Garcia was 9-of-10 passing for 96 yards with one interception.

    Garcia, who sat in the first quarter while Jacob Morales struggled, was intercepted on his next attempt, then settled down and led two scoring drives in the final 7 minutes for a 20-20 tie.

    Alex Blancas scored on a 9-yard run with 4:10 remaining. He then forced a Portola fumble, recovered by Joshua Santillan at the Portola 40 with 3:09 left in the half. Garcia completed four straight passes, the last a 20-yarder to Bryant Hansbrough, which set up Santillan’s 4-yard TD with :04 left in the half.

    After Kedia’s third field goal to open the third quarter, Portola’s defense turned the second half into a long effort in frustration. Buena Park had two first downs the rest of the way.

    “We were expecting this kind of a game, actually,” Abe said. “Our goal is to come out more disciplined and more poised, to do our assignment, and I think we did that in the first quarter. We got a little sloppy in the second quarter. We came out and started the third quarter well, then they punched back and we punched back.”

    Buena Park, which had scored 15 points in its last two games, was held to 69 yards rushing and 177 yards overall. Aside from its two touchdown drives, Portola struggled against the Coyote defense. Buena Park had 78 yards on the ground, and Suttle was 12-of-22 for 115 yards.

    The league title will likely be on the line next week when Portola faces second-place Marina.

     

     Orange County Register 

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