HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ROUNDUP : Garfield Wins After Trailing by 21

Garfield High quarterback David Castillo threw a three-yard touchdown pass to Octavio Ramirez with 30 seconds remaining, leading the Bulldogs to a 31-28 victory over Locke on Friday.

Garfield, 3-0 in the City’s Southeastern Conference and 4-0 overall, erased a 28-7 third-quarter deficit to hand host Locke (3-1, 1-1) its first loss of the season.

Castillo, who completed 16 of 27 passes for 251 yards, threw for three second-half touchdowns, including the final two to Ramirez. Teammate Phillip Contreras finished with seven receptions for 122 yards, including a 47-yard pass play on a third and 20 with 48 seconds remaining.

“I told my players at halftime that the game wasn’t over,” Garfield Coach Steve Robinson said. “I told them they had to do whatever it took to get the job done.”

Locke, The Times’ sixth-ranked City team, led 22-7 at halftime thanks in large part to three interceptions by cornerback LaMorris Ester. The first two interceptions led to touchdowns and the third halted a potential Garfield scoring drive late in the second quarter.

Trailing 28-7 with four minutes remaining in the third quarter, Castillo led the Bulldogs on consecutive scoring drives of 88 and 59 yards to cut the Saints’ lead to 28-23 with nine minutes remaining.

The Bulldogs’ final drive covered 93 yards in 1:14 and featured a 41-yard pass play to Jaime Lopez, as well as Contreras’ clutch reception.

Locke running back Antoine Redmond finished with 147 yards in 27 carries and scored one touchdown.