GARDEN GROVE LEAGUE FOOTBALL : La Quinta Helps Clear Title Path by Edging Rancho Alamitos

La Quinta High School did not clinch the Garden Grove League title Thursday night, but the Aztecs definitely moved one of their biggest obstacles out of the way.

The Aztecs (6-0 overall, 3-0 in league) relied on the pass-catching and running of Walter Dawkins and another exceptional performance by its defense to beat previously undefeated Rancho Alamitos, 10-7, in front of about 3,000 at Bolsa Grande High.

La Quinta entered the game as the county’s No. 10 team, two positions below Rancho Alamitos (5-1, 2-1), and with a two-game winning streak over the Vaqueros. Rancho Alamitos presented a menacing offense that had scored 188 points.

But Thursday, Rancho Alamitos and its speedy tailback, Ulysses Trammell, couldn’t generate many scoring opportunities.

Things at least started well for Rancho Alamitos.

The Vaqueros went to their bread-and-butter ground game on their first possession, as Trammell carried the ball nine times in a 13-play, 76-yard drive that included runs of 17 and 14 yards. He wrapped up the 6 1/2-minute march with a three-yard sweep around left tackle to give Rancho Alamitos a 7-0 lead.

It was an impressive display of ball control by the Vaqueros, but La Quinta Coach Roger Takahashi apparently did a good job convincing his players the touchdown didn’t spell doomsday.

“We told the kids not to panic after their first score. We settled them down,” Takahashi said.

La Quinta rebounded early in the second quarter on a 32-yard field goal by Mike Berg and a 32-yard scoring pass from quarterback Donald Hopkins to Dawkins with 4 minutes and 41 seconds remaining before halftime.

Dawkins, who caught five passes for 83 yards and had eight carries for 54 yards, outjumped a Rancho Alamitos defender for the reception.

Rancho Alamitos had a pair of scoring opportunities thwarted in the fourth quarter. The first ended on a block by La Quinta defensive back George Sanchez of a 44-yard field goal attempt by Carl Foss. The second came a few minutes later, on a fourth-and-three situation at the La Quinta 33. Quarterback Chris Singletary fumbled the snap and Hopkins recovered.

Trammell, who last week ran for 244 yards against Kennedy, was held to 90 yards in 21 carries. He had a couple big gains nullified by penalties.

“We committed suicide with all the mistakes and penalties,” Rancho Alamitos Coach Mark Miller said.