TONIGHT’S PREP FOOTBALL : Los Alamitos Puts League Streak on Line

The longest league winning streak in Orange County will be tested at 7:30 tonight when Esperanza High School plays host to Los Alamitos in the Empire League opener for both schools at Placentia’s Bradford Stadium.

Los Alamitos has won 20 consecutive league games since losing to Loara in its 1986 league opener. Among the 20 victories is five over Esperanza, including a 42-28 romp last year.

“We haven’t played well against Los Alamitos the past couple of years,” Esperanza Coach Gary Meek said. . The Aztecs’ nine turnovers in one-sided losses the past two years would attest to that.

But Los Alamitos (3-2) has displayed some vulnerability in losses to Servite (21-17) and St. John Bosco (21-20), giving rival coaches in the Empire League reason to be encouraged.

“They’ve always given us problems with great team speed on both sides of the ball and they’ve had Todd Gragnano at quarterback the past three years,” Meek said. “Plus, they’ve always had one receiver we couldn’t contain.”

Gragnano has graduated and the Griffins don’t have a linebacker in the mold of former standouts Roger Roadstrom, David Thompson or Brian Havens. But split receiver Tyler Cashman has been nearly unstoppable, catching 39 passes for 482 yards.

Running back LaQuan Beckton has averaged 103.7 yards-per-game rushing in his past three games since recovering from a hamstring pull suffered in the season opener.

Esperanza (5-0) is off to its best start since 1986 when it finished 9-2-1. The Aztecs have allowed an average of 8.8 points per game with linebacker Mike Burns leading the team in tackles.

Quarterback Keith McDonald is coming off his best game of the season in a 17-13 victory over Sunny Hills. McDonald completed 12 of 16 passes for 198 yards.

As usual, Esperanza’s ground game is among the best in the county. Gerrick Emry (72 carries, 411 yards) and Jarod Smith (72 carries, 372 yards) have given the Aztecs more speed in the backfield than in recent years.

Meeks says the winner tonight will have the inside track to the title; the other four teams in the league have losing records.

“Everyone is well aware that the winner will get the No. 1 seed to the playoffs because we base our seedings on head-to-head competition,” he said.

Rancho Alamitos (5-0, 2-0) vs. La Quinta (5-0, 2-0) at Bolsa Grande HS: Tailback Ulysses Trammell gained 224 yards and scored on runs of 60, 52 and 26 yards in a 34-12 romp over Bolsa Grande last week. Rancho Alamitos will be playing without blocking fullback Vince Otteman, who strained ligaments in his knee last week and will not suit up.

La Quinta ended Pacifica’s 22-game Garden Grove League winning streak last week with a 29-6 victory over the Mariners. Quarterback Donald Hopkins, throwing well on rollouts, passed for 233 yards and tailback George Sanchez added 127 yards rushing.

In other games tonight:

Century League: Santa Ana Valley vs. Orange at El Modena HS; Orange League: Brea-Olinda vs. Anaheim at Glover Stadium and Magnolia at Western; Pacific Coast League: Estancia vs. Century at Santa Ana Stadium and Laguna Beach vs. Trabuco Hills at Mission Viejo HS; Sea View League: Saddleback vs. Woodbridge at Irvine HS; Nonleague: Santa Margarita at Gahr.