Los Alamitos Has the Look of No. 1 in Rout of Saugus : High schools: Quarterback Kevin Feterik throws for three touchdowns as Griffins roll up 44-0 victory.

Los Alamitos, the nation’s top-ranked football team, opened its 1995 season in smashing style.

Unleashing a precision passing attack, the Griffins dazzled the Saugus Centurions, racing to a 24-0 halftime lead before settling for a 44-0 victory in front of an estimated 3,000 spectators at Veterans Stadium.

Last season, Saugus gave up just 773 passing yards the entire year. On Thursday, Griffin quarterback Kevin Feterik threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns, completing 14 of 19 passes. And wide receivers Stan Guyness and Tony Hartley demonstrated why they are considered so dangerous.

They combined for eight receptions and 220 yards. Both scored on a long touchdown pass reception, Guyness at the start of the first quarter, and Hartley at the beginning of the third.

“It couldn’t tell how fast they were on film,” Hartley said. “But when we saw how they were lining up we knew we could run by them.”

Sean Stein, who replaced Feterik at quarterback with just over 10 minutes to play, caught the other scoring pass.

When the Griffins’ offense ran into the snags that often occur in opening games--there were six Los Alamitos penalties and Feterik was sacked three times--the defense came through. Mike Martinez returned one of three Saugus fumbles 29 yards for a touchdown and George Martin intercepted a pass with less than a minute left in the game, going 44 yards for the final score.

Saugus Coach Jack Bowman had plenty of praise to heap on Los Alamitos.

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“They are a very good team, and a classy team,” Bowman said, “They were certainly No. 1 on the field tonight.”

Griffin Coach John Barnes was just glad to get the first game out of the way.

“We’ve been too anxious for a game,” Barnes said. “Now, we can show them some things and they’ll believe us when we tell them they have a long way to go. But I thought we got off the ball better in the second half, and didn’t have any injuries. We weren’t spectacular, just methodical.”

All week Barnes had expressed concern about his team’s opener. One of his aims this season was to bring more balance to the Griffins offense, which meant raising the level of the running game.

But, being the first game and wanting to get off to a good start, the coaches told Feterik to get the ball to the Griffins’ big play specialists, Hartley and Guyness.

And the results were immediate.

On Los Alamitos’ second play from scrimmage, Feterik faded back from his 20 and found Guyness free at the 40. Guyness turned, split two defenders, and did not stop running until he had completed an 80-yard touchdown play.