DIVISION II : Los Alamitos Dominates Fountain Valley, 42-21

Opportunity was clearly waiting for Fountain Valley Saturday night.

The Barons had the chance to end Los Alamitos’ 33-game unbeaten streak. It was possible. But the Griffins didn’t wait for any opportunity. They created theirs.

Los Alamitos sucker-punched Fountain Valley time and time again at Cal State Fullerton, walking away with a 42-21 victory that put the Griffins in the Southern Section Division II championship game.

It was their second consecutive victory over a Sunset League opponent. The Griffins now will face that league’s best, as they will play Huntington Beach in the title game Saturday.

Los Alamitos, which won the Division III title in 1991 and shared the Division II championship last season, was the No. 1-ranked team in Orange County this season. Huntington Beach, which hasn’t played in a championship game since 1936, was the county’s second-ranked team.

Expectations already are running high.

“This feels great,” quarterback Mike Good said. “We set a goal to three-peat. We’re one step away.”

Good then took a breath.

“But we have one huge game ahead of us,” he said.

And one behind.

The Barons (10-3) were ready for the upset. They came out fast, scoring on their first possession. They then forced a turnover, as Cory Clark intercepted a pass by Good, only the fifth one he has had picked off this season.

Suddenly, the Barons were looking at possibly beating a team that had not lost in more than two years. They just as suddenly found out why Los Alamitos (13-0) has been unbeatable.

The Griffins swooped in. They forced five turnovers, including four interceptions. When it was over, the Barons could only remember the chance that was theirs.

“We did it with hard work,” defensive tackle Steve Trammell said. “We did our jobs.”

Trammell did his first. Two plays after Clark made his interception, Trammell swatted a Steve Bertoni pass and picked it off. It led to a 13-yard touchdown by Enrico Bozman.

Trammell deflected three other passes, one of which was intercepted by Mike Spinelli.

Three of the Fountain Valley turnovers led to touchdowns.

“It was amazing where the defense was getting us the ball,” said Good, who passed for one touchdown and ran for three. “It was one play after another.”

The biggest of which was by Brad Melsby, who stepped in front of the Barons’ Michael Rumford on the goal line and returned the interception 99 yards to give the Griffins a 28-7 lead with 29 seconds left in the first half.

“I didn’t see the receiver, I just saw Bertoni point,” said Melsby, who also caught six passes for 131 yards. “I guess I got lucky.”

Said Coach John Barnes: “That was the biggest play of the year. That was the difference between an insurmountable lead and a game that goes down to the wire.”

Fountain Valley actually outgained the Griffins, 368-355. Bertoni completed 17 of 36 passes for 209 yards. Fountain Valley gained 161 yards rushing, becoming only the second team to go over 100 yards against the Griffins.

The Barons did move the ball, but about all it did was kill time between turnovers.

“Our defense is more opportunistic than stifling,” Barnes said.

Ben Jones had an interception and Spinelli recovered a fumble.

Said Trammell: “They got the yards, but we got the win, huh?”