Los Amigos Holds Off Azusa, 24-14

Sophomore Mario Cortez kicked a 20-yard field goal with 1 minute 34 seconds remaining and Los Amigos defeated Azusa, 24-14, Friday in the first round of the Southern Section Division VII playoffs at West Covina High.

Los Amigos will face Lompoc, a 48-7 winner over Beverly Hills, in the second round next week.

The Lobos (6-3-2) nearly squandered a 21-point fourth-quarter lead as Azusa (7-4) mounted a furious comeback attempt.

The Aztecs, the No. 1 team from the Montview League, scored two touchdowns in a 3-minute 15-second span during the fourth quarter to pull within, 21-14, but Los Amigos, an at-large team from the Garden Grove League, drove 57 yards for Cortez’s field goal.

“This is our biggest win in a while,” said Los Amigos Coach Steve Bolton, whose team knocked off league champion Rancho Alamitos last week to be considered for a playoff berth.

“Both teams made a lot mistakes, but we came back and played hard in the second half,” he said.

Azusa squandered most of its chances, failing twice in the first half on fourth-down situations deep in Los Amigos territory. Both times Aztec Coach Mike Schuster went for it on fourth down instead of trying short field-goal attempts.

When the Aztecs tried a field goal late in the first half, Azusa kicker Mark Verduzco’s 23-yard attempt was wide left.

Los Amigos took a 7-0 lead on a flea-flicker from quarterback Ape Tuato to John McMills. The play covered 37-yards.

The Lobos built a 21-0 lead on a 40-yard touchdown run by Tuato in the third quarter and a 12-yard run by Sauga Leofa early in the fourth quarter.