Daniels Runs, La Quinta Beats Los Amigos

What does La Quinta Coach Roger Takahashi say to Aztec quarterback Kenny Granger from the sidelines?

“Go see Cal, go see Cal, go see Cal.”

Cal Daniels, a wide receiver converted to tailback as a substitute for injured running back Bill Boulton, carried 17 times for 108 yards and two touchdowns as La Quinta (2-2, 1-0 in league) opened defense of its Garden Grove League title Thursday with a 24-12 victory over Los Amigos in front of 600 at Bolsa Grande High School.

Daniels scored on runs of five and six yards in only his second game in the backfield for the Aztecs.

“He (Daniels) is getting more comfortable each week,” Takahashi said. “We had to try something. We figured he’s our fastest guy, so we had to get the ball in his hands.”

The six-foot, 160-pound senior has responded well. Against Los Amigos (0-4, 0-1), Daniels used his shifty moves to break two runs of 10 yards each, one of 13 and one of 23. In a 30-14 nonleague victory over Western last week, Daniels had 85 yards in 21 carries and one touchdown.

Thanks in part to Daniels’ running, La Quinta jumped to a 10-6 lead at the half but got a scare early in the fourth period when fullback Junior Faamausili put Los Amigos ahead, 12-10, with a two-yard touchdown run.

But La Quinta came back on its next possession with a five-yard touchdown run by fullback Mike Berg and later on Daniels’ second score of the night.

As in the previous three games, mistakes cost Los Amigos dearly. The Lobos wasted a terrific scoring opportunity on their first series when they lost 20 yards on a bad snap from center in shotgun formation from the La Quinta 34-yard line on a third-and-seven play. They ended up punting.

And midway through the second period, the Lobos had a 49-yard touchdown run by quarterback Joey Portillo nullified because of illegal motion by Faamausili in the backfield.