PREP EXTRA / FRIDAY FOOTBALL PULLOUT : Santiago Gets Garden Grove on the Run

Santiago moved one step closer to a playoff berth Thursday night, knocking off host Garden Grove, 27-13, in the regular season finale for both teams.

The Cavaliers (4-6, 3-3), who won only one game in the last two seasons, moved into a tie with Garden Grove (4-5, 3-3) in the league standings. If Pacifica (5-4, 3-2) losses to Los Amigos tonight, the three teams would flip coins to determine the third playoff team from the league. Rancho Alamitos and Los Amigos have already clinched the top two spots.

Garden Grove fumbled on its first play from scrimmage, and Ivan Kim recovered at the Argonaut 24. Tommy Sokanthong scored from seven yards out four plays later and Santiago led, 7-0.

Sokanthong blocked a Ryan Cleary field-goal attempt on the next Argonaut possession, leading to a 61-yard scoring pass from Christian Cortez to Octavio Villa and a 14-0 lead.

Garden Grove would score twice before the half, getting scoring runs of 22 yards from Manuel Millan and three yards from Ruben Reyna. The conversion on the second score failed, leaving Santiago with a 14-13 lead at the half.

The Argonauts never got any offense going in the second half, gaining only 49 yards and turning the ball over three times. Santiago upped the lead to 21-13 on a six-yard Anthony Callari run early in the fourth quarter.