PREP FOOTBALL : Los Amigos Wins on Late Safety, 16-15

Los Amigos High School Coach Art Michalik knows luck can sometimes determine who wins football games.

That was the case Thursday night when Los Amigos scored a late safety to post a 16-15 Garden Grove League victory over Rancho Alamitos at Garden Grove High School.

Los Amigos was trailing, 15-14, with 4 minutes 50 seconds to play but the Lobos (2-4 overall and 2-1 in league play) were deep into Rancho Alamitos territory. Los Amigos, however, fumbled on the Rancho Alamitos 1 and the Vaqueros recovered.

After the first-down play failed to gain, Los Amigos’ Tony Hertica tackled Rancho Alamitos running back Dana Riddle in the end zone for the winning safety. Riddle had taken the handoff and tried to sweep around right end but was trapped in the end zone.

“We were lucky,” Michalik said. “We should have lost this game, but I’ll take the win.”

Rancho Alamitos (1-5, 0-3) had come back from trailing, 14-7, on a 17-yard run for a touchdown by Rod McCall. Riddle’s two-point conversion made it 15-14 with 7:56 to play.

Riddle, a junior, replaced David Singleterry, who was sidelined with a sore knee suffered this week in practice.

Riddle had 134 yards in 33 carries. His 7-yard run in the second quarter capped a 6-play, 37-yard drive to put Rancho Alamitos ahead, 7-0. The drive was set up by an interception by McCall.

Los Amigos tied the score late in the first half on a 25-yard pass play for a touchdown from Shane Rumney to Kelly Cotton. The 4-play, 38-yard drive was set up after a Rancho Alamitos fumble.

Los Amigos went ahead, 14-7, in the third quarter on a 5-play, 38-yard drive ending on a 10-yard touchdown run by Freddie Gomez.

Rumney was 8-17 for 99 yards and a touchdown.