Los Alamitos Scores Late, Esperanza Falls : Sunset League: Feterik keys touchdown with 1:15 left, then Griffins recover fumble to seal 35-32 victory.

Just call him Comeback Kevin.

Junior quarterback Kevin Feterik and his Los Alamitos teammates stared at a deficit in the final minutes for the second consecutive week, but the Griffins moved 83 yards in 48 seconds to score the decisive touchdown and post a 35-32 victory over Esperanza.

Feterik, who completed 21 of 32 passes for 369 yards and three touchdowns, completed a 30-yard scoring pass to Stan Guyness with 1 minute 15 seconds remaining to give Los Alamitos the decisive score in a Sunset League football game Thursday at Long Beach Veterans Stadium.

Last week, Feterik tossed the winning touchdown pass for the Griffins (8-0, 3-0 in league), ranked No. 1 in Orange County, with 12 seconds remaining in a 15-12 victory over Edison.

“When we scored, I thought we had too much time left,” Los Alamitos Coach John Barnes said. “It was like whoever had the ball last would win.”

That’s because Esperanza (5-3, 2-1), ranked third in the county, had rolled up more than 400 yards of total offense.

Esperanza running back Dahrin Footman had ripped through the Griffins for 156 yards in 29 carries, scoring two touchdowns, and quarterback Chris Stretch had completed 19 of 28 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns. Plus, Ryan Wilkins, who had 10 receptions for 151 yards and a touchdown, returned the game’s final kickoff to the Esperanza 41 with 1:09 remaining.

But on the next play, Los Alamitos sophomore Dax Houston sacked Stretch, and the ball popped loose. Ryan Wanigasekera recovered the fumble for Los Alamitos near the Esperanza 30 and the celebration began.

Los Alamitos fans mobbed the field at the game’s conclusion, rejoicing as the Griffins extended their unbeaten streak to 43 games. Temple City (1969-’73) and Canyon Country Canyon (1983-’86) hold the Southern Section record of 46.

Celebrating was the furthest thing from their minds when the Griffins got the ball back after a punt with 2:03 remaining, trailing 32-28.

“We don’t think about losing,” said Los Alamitos wide receiver Brad Melsby, who had seven catches for 130 yards. “On the last drive, we knew if we executed, we’d score.”

Feterik improvised on the Griffins’ first play from their 17, scrambling out of the pocket and scampering up field and out of bounds for a 32-yard gain to the Los Alamitos 49.

“I didn’t know where I was, so I just took off,” Feterik said. “I threw an interception on my last pass before that drive and I wasn’t going to let that happen again . . . so I just ran.”

After a Feterik pass to Guyness in the right flat lost two yards, Feterik lofted a pass up the left sideline that Russ Benefield bobbled before catching at the Esperanza 30. Feterik passed to Guyness for the game-winner on the next play.

“With the guys we’ve got, it’s never over,” Barnes said.

The Griffin rally wiped out a valiant effort by Esperanza.

Esperanza trailed, 28-19, heading into the fourth quarter, but Stretch completed an 11-yard scoring pass to Brian Forth to cut the lead to 28-26 with 10:54 remaining.

The Aztecs took the lead with 6:48 remaining after Stretch and Footman helped Esperanza move 56 yards in seven plays. Stretch capped the drive with a nine-yard touchdown pass to Wilkins with 6:48 remaining.

Although Esperanza’s Kareem Clark, who had two interceptions, ended one Los Alamitos drive with 5:13 remaining, the Aztecs couldn’t score again or run out the clock, giving Los Alamitos one more chance.

And that’s all Feterik and the Griffins needed.

* JUST CATCH IT

Griffin quarterback Kevin Feterik asked one thing of receiver Stan Guyness. C8