Laguna Hills Holds Off Garden Grove for Victory

Laguna Hills scored on its first three possessions and held off a second-half Garden Grove rally to secure a 28-14 nonleague victory Friday night in front of 1,000 at Garden Grove High.

The Hawks (3-0) opened the game with a 16-play, 79-yard drive that was capped by Fred Kim’s one-yard dive. Kim carried the ball 10 times during the series, which took 8:02 off the clock.

On its next possession, Laguna Hills went the length of the field behind Kim’s running and the senior scored from a yard out to give the Hawks a 14-0 lead.

After another stalled Garden Grove drive, the Hawks picked up where they left off, with Brendan McGraw taking a reverse 21 yards for a touchdown with 5 minutes 29 seconds left in the second quarter.

The Argonauts (0-3) were held to only 11 yards and one first down through the first two quarters, but came out looking like a different team in the third quarter, when they put together their first touchdown drive of the season. Quarterback David Pixler found wide receiver Matt Espinoza in the end zone for a three-yard touchdown pass.

After a Laguna Hills fumble, Pixler and Espinoza connected on another scoring pass that covered 32 yards and the Hawks’ lead was cut to 21-14.

Garden Grove had an opportunity to get even after Kim fumbled on his own 44, but Laguna Hills stopped the Argonauts on fourth and five at the 28.

The Hawks were able to add to their lead with 5:47 remaining when Justin Vedder hit Rick Stilson with a 28-yard touchdown pass down the left sideline.