Garden Grove Follows Recipe for 21-0 Victory Over Cerritos

Sprinkle just enough offense on top of lots of defense, and some nights it might be all you need to win a football game.

Garden Grove proved it Friday in a 21-0 nonleague victory over Cerritos in front of about 1,200 at Garden Grove High.

The Argonauts (2-0) had only 243 yards in total offense against the Dons (0-2), but they capitalized on several opportunities to remain unbeaten.

After a scoreless first half, Garden Grove scored on its first possession of the second half on a 10-yard run by Duy Cuong Ngo with 8 minutes 55 seconds left in the third quarter.

Until that touchdown drive, the Argonauts had a mere 76 yards in total offense during five first-half possessions. But Garden Grove Coach Jeff Buenafe apparently had a few choice comments for his team at the half.

“We came out in the second half a little more inspired than in the first,” Buenafe said. “We came out with a little more determination.”

Garden Grove padded its lead to 14-0 with 5:14 left to play on a nine-yard run by Jim Sebreros, who scored again with 13 seconds remaining on a five-yard run. Sebreros led all rushers with 70 yards in 16 carries.

The Argonaut defense, led by tackle Dan Rodarte and linebackers Mike Maddox and Gary Hemme, limited Cerritos to 105 yards in total offense.

Maddox recovered a fumble by Cerritos running back Mike Turner early in the second quarter at the Garden Grove 33-yard line, the deepest penetration by the Dons in the game. Rodarte sacked quarterback Lamar Melson for a three-yard loss in the third quarter, and Hemme was in on several tackles.

The Dons only managed one play that covered more than 10 yards. That came late in the third quarter when running back Juan Esquivel broke loose for a 27-yard run from the Cerritos 10-yard line. Defensive back Jeff Van Horn, the only player left for Esquivel to beat, made the tackle.

Senior quarterback Brian Schneider completed 10 of 18 passes for 96 yards, including a 20-yard pass to wide receiver Gary Henson on the first play from scrimmage for the Argonauts.