Goal-Line Stand Helps Keep Katella in Running

For Katella High School, the difference between advancing to the playoffs and reaching the end of the season was determined by one yard Thursday night. A yard that Loara could not gain.

A goal-line stand and Jeff Yourstone’s two touchdowns gave Katella a 14-6 victory over Loara in front of 1,500 in Handel Stadium. It was the Knights’ first victory over the Saxons in the school’s 21-year history and only added confusion to the race for the final two Empire League playoff berths.

If Esperanza beats El Dorado tonight, Katella (6-3-1 overall, 2-2-1 in league play) will go to the Southern Conference playoffs as the league’s No. 3 representative. An El Dorado victory would create a three-way tie for second. The tiebreaker would then have to be determined today by league officials.

The league picture might have been a lot more clear if it had not been for Yourstone and linebacker Joe Pastorello, who stopped the Saxons’ Coy Collins short of the goal line to preserve a 7-0 lead with 4 minutes 25 seconds left in the third quarter.

Loara (4-6, 1-4) had a first down at the Katella 5-yard line after Bill Jarman’s pass deflected off receiver Bill Gaynor and into the hands of teammate Adrian Oliphant for a 25-yard gain.

Three plays netted only four yards. On fourth down, Collins, who rushed for 190 yards in 24 carries, tried to power off tackle. The play developed slowly, giving Pastorello time to plug the hole, and Yourstone then stopped Collins with a flying tackle.

On the next play, Yourstone ran a quarterback sneak 72 yards for a first down to the Loara 29-yard line. Two plays later, he cut up field on an option play for a 19-yard touchdown run to give the Knights a two-touchdown lead.

Yourstone finished with 123 yards rushing in 11 carries. He scored the Knights’ first touchdown on a five-yard run with three minutes left in the second quarter.

Loara cut the deficit to 14-6 with 5:25 remaining in the game on a one-yard run by Bob Titus. The Saxons had one more possession, but it ended in an interception by Ted Brown.

Los Alamitos 49, Cypress 0--Frank Beckton rushed for three touchdowns and Todd Gragnano threw for two touchdowns as the Griffins (9-1, 5-0) routed the Centurions (1-8-1, 1-3-1) at Gahr High School in Cerritos. Los Alamitos finished unbeaten in the Empire League with its seventh shutout of the season. The Griffins’ defense allowed only 27 points in 10 regular-season games.

Gragnano opened the scoring with an 11-yard pass to Jon Cisneros. On the Griffins’ next possession, Beckton scored on a one-yard run. Gragnano then completed touchdown pass for 19 yards to Scott Stevens to give Los Alamitos a 21-0 lead. Beckton finished the first-half scoring with a 21-yard run.

Beckton scored his final touchdown on a 14-yard run midway through the third quarter. Eric Caesar and Tom Sohn finished the scoring with a pair of three-yard touchdown runs.

Beckton gained 99 yards in 13 carries, and Marcus Garcia gained 90 yards in 12 carries.