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GARDEN GROVE — Los Amigos’ football team entered the CIF-SS Division 11 quarterfinals Thursday with a perfect record and its best start in school history. The Lobos still wanted more.
El Rancho had other ideas.
The Dons forced three turnovers to shutout the Lobos in the second half and went on to collect a 40-20 victory at Garden Grove High.
In the semifinals next week, El Rancho (8-4) will play the winner of Friday’s San Gorgonio-Grand Terrace quarterfinal. It will be the Dons’ first semifinals appearance since 2018 in Division 10.
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“To stay perfect is hard. It’s hard and I think it showed tonight,” said Los Amigos coach Romel Guess, whose team finished 11-1. “We knew who we were facing coming in. It was a good El Rancho team, who has played some really good teams this year.”
“We stuck to what we do and our boys played their hearts out,” the coach added. “When you leave it all on the field, you don’t hang your heads on these types of games.”
El Rancho led 21-20 at halftime and then scored two touchdowns — adding the 2-point conversion each time — to take control in the second half.
The Dons didn’t turned the turnovers into many points but their defense against Los Amigos’ ground attack led to excellent field position. In the second half, El Rancho capitalized with a 3-yard TD by Diego Diaz in the third quarter and a 9-yard touchdown run by Phoenix Navarro early in the fourth.
“That was a great team win,” said El Rancho coach Adrian Medrano, whose squad placed third in the Del Rio League. “We talk about playing fast, playing tough and playing discipline, and we did that tonight.”
“Hats off Los Amigos (and) Coach Guess,” he added. “Great football team. Well-coached.”
Navarro rushed for 75 of his 88 yards in the second half. In the first half, the senior caught a 22-yard TD on a screen from QB Ryan Dominguez.
Dominguez also threw a 23-yard TD in the first half to Giovani Montenegro.
El Rancho led 21-20 at intermission thanks to Julien Acero blocking a 28-yard field goal attempt by Los Amigos on the final play.
The Dons’ special teams excelled in a first half that featured two lead changes.
Ray Madrid III had three long kickoff returns for El Rancho, including a 59-yarder late in the first half to the Los Amigos 34. On the next play, Dominguez scored on a 34-yard TD run up the middle and Joshua Campos added the PAT as El Rancho took a 21-20 advantage with 3:13 left in the half.
Campos converted all three of his PATs in the first half. He kicked a late 24-yard field goal to cap the scoring.
Madrid’s 59-yard kickoff return was timely because it answered a 46-yard touchdown run by Los Amigos’ Raul Cruz. The Lobos converted the PAT and briefly led 20-14.
In the second half, El Rancho blocked a punt. The Dons almost returned the ball for a touchdown but lost a fumble at the Los Amigos 3.
“We talked all week that special teams were going to be huge,” Medrano said.
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