ORANGE COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL : Empire League : Los Alamitos Defeats El Dorado for Its 5th Consecutive Shutout

For one series, at least, El Dorado High School turned Los Alamitos’ hard-nosed defense into mush. The drive, El Dorado’s best offensive effort, lasted five minutes, 13 seconds and the Golden Hawks came up scoreless when Phillip Nevin missed a 27-yard field goal.

That was the one and only time the Los Alamitos defense bent Friday night, and the Griffins posted their fifth straight shutout with a 14-0 Empire League win over the Hawks.

Los Alamitos, which scored both touchdowns in the second quarter, has six shutouts in seven games and has allowed a mere 10 points all season, the least in the Southern Section.

The shutouts have confounded John Barnes, Los Alamitos coach.

“I can’t believe we shut them out,” Barnes said. “They (El Dorado) are a great football team. I just thought, ‘We can’t keep shutting people out.’ It’s amazing to me that we can keep doing it. I mean we aren’t 6-foot-5 (on defense).”

About 3,000 fans in Bradford Stadium at Valencia High were witness to the feat.

On El Dorado’s opening drive, the Hawk offensive line blew open gaping holes for running back Chris Olsen. El Dorado drove from its own 12 to the Griffin 4 where, on first and goal, Olsen swept around end for an apparent touchdown. It would have been the first points scored on the Griffins since Tustin beat them, 10-7, in the second week.

However, El Dorado was called for holding. The sight of the opposition in their end zone seemed to shake up the Griffin defense. When Tim Wynn, Los Alamitos defensive end, trapped Olsen, who had 111 yards in 20 carries, for a two-yard loss on third down, Nevin came in to try his field goal.

Los Alamitos took over at the 20 with 5:31 left in the first quarter and put on a 80-yard scoring drive that was unspectacular, yet unstoppable.

The Griffins (6-1 overall, 2-0 in league play) used 18 plays to score, only two went for 10 yards or more.

One big play was a 28-yard run by back Frank Beckton that got the Griffins out of a third-and-11 hole at their own 19.

Finally, with 10:24 left in the half, Beckton, who had 92 yards in 23 carries, scored from a yard away to give Los Alamitos a 7-0 lead.

Los Alamitos’ next score was a little more exciting. Todd Gragnano, a sophomore quarterback, hit wide receiver Jon Cisneros on a fly pattern down the right sideline for a 47-yard touchdown with 3:04 remaining in the half. Cisneros caught four passes for 58 yards.