Los Amigos Shocks No. 2 Rancho Alamitos

Ryan Martinez, a backup wide receiver and cornerback, made the most dramatic play of his five-game varsity career by picking up Leon Vickers’ fumble and running it 45 yards for the game-winning touchdown with 2 minutes 57 seconds left in the game as Los Amigos defeated Rancho Alamitos, 18-17, in the Garden Grove League season finale for both teams Thursday at Bolsa Grande High.

The victory moves Los Amigos (5-3-2, 4-2-1 in league) into a tie for third place with Kennedy and ends all hopes of an undefeated league season for the Vaqueros (8-2, 6-1), ranked second in the county.

It was also the sixth time in the six years Mark Miller has coached Rancho Alamitos that the Vaqueros have lost the 10th game of the season.

As could be expected, the outcome sent Los Amigos Coach Steve Bolton into an emotional high.

“We lost a tough game last week to Pacifica (9-0),” Bolton said. “All of the (Los Amigos) kids were at practice Monday (on a holiday). They showed a lot of pride and a lot of character tonight.”

They also showed they could stay with the Vaqueros, who had not lost on the field all season and who had not scored fewer than 31 points in a game. The only loss for Rancho Alamitos before Thursday night was the forfeiture of a 42-0 season-opening nonleague victory over Troy because of an ineligible player.

The play that crushed Rancho Alamitos came on a second and nine from the Vaquero 45, when fullback Vickers fumbled and Martinez recovered and darted for the end zone with two defenders in pursuit. Martinez was in the game only because of an injury to one of the Lobo defensive backs.

“One of our cornerbacks had a cramp on the play before and we put Ryan in,” Bolton said.

Talk about great timing. And missed opportunities.

Rancho Alamitos had a chance to win with 10 seconds left in the game after marching 42 yards on eight plays on the ensuing possession, but a 31-yard field-goal attempt by Tony Luce sailed wide left and Los Amigos ran out the clock.

The Vaqueros had taken a 6-0 lead with 2:41 remaining in the first quarter on a four-yard run by tailback Jeff Byrd, but Los Amigos narrowed the gap by three points on a 35-yard field goal by Jose Martinez with 3:03 left before the half.

Quarterback Marshall Brown scored for the Vaqueros on a nine-yard run around left end midway through the third quarter and a two-point conversion run by Byrd, who rushed for a game-high 188 yards in 30 carries, increased the Rancho Alamitos lead to 14-3 after three quarters.

Los Amigos responded with a two-yard touchdown run by Noah Tagatauli early in the final quarter and a two-point conversion pass from quarterback Ape Tuato to Tagatauli. A 26-yard field goal by Luce about two minutes later put Rancho Alamitos ahead, 17-11, before Martinez came up with the play of the season for the Lobos.