Garden Grove Moves Toward Playoff Spot

Garden Grove High School’s 20-0 victory over Kennedy Thursday night put the Argonauts in a position to advance to the Southern Section football playoffs for the first time in five years.

Garden Grove (5-5, 4-3 in the Garden Grove League) will tie for third in the league if Rancho Alamitos beats Pacifica tonight. The Argonauts would receive the playoff berth because of a victory over Pacifica.

Kennedy finished the season 3-7 and 1-6.

Mistakes played a key role in Thursday’s victory.

A mishandled punt by Kennedy with 8:41 left in the second quarter gave Garden Grove possession and led to the Argonauts’ first touchdown three plays later. Garden Grove quarterback Simon Fuentes threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Tim Silva, and Adrian Ioja’s kick made it 7-0.

Garden Grove’s Angelo Sablan intercepted a pass by Kennedy quarterback John Guthrie to set up the Argonauts’ second touchdown with 4:23 left in the third quarter. Jim Sebreros, who rushed for 106 yards, scored from four yards out to make it 13-0.

Garden Grove finished the scoring when Brent Brodhagen ran six yards for a touchdown with nine seconds to play.