Los Alamitos Makes Saugus No. 1 on Its Hit List, 44-0 : High school football: Feterik passes for 297 yards and three touchdowns as top-ranked team in country romps in opener.

Saugus High football Coach Jack Bowman had been quietly optimistic all week.

It didn’t seem to matter that his opponent in Thursday night’s opener was Los Alamitos, the team USA Today picked No. 1 in the country. Bowman had a tough, experienced team and expected a close game.

But he was shocked by the outcome, a 44-0 setback in front of an estimated 3,000 at Veterans Stadium.

“I thought we’d put points on the board at least,” Bowman said.

Saugus, which expects to contend for the Foothill League championship this season, did get nine first downs. But it also committed a handful of mistakes.

A trio of Los Alamitos players who have received preseason All-American accolades led the Griffins.

Quarterback Kevin Feterik, who passed for nearly 3,000 yards and 27 touchdowns last season, completed 14 of 17 passes for 297 yards and three touchdowns before retiring with 10 minutes 35 seconds left. He also scored on a one-yard run.

Receivers Stan Guyness (four receptions for 115 yards) and Tony Hartley (five for 123) each caught a touchdown pass.

“They were certainly No. 1 on this field tonight,” Bowman said of Los Alamitos, a team that played a Southern Section record 47 games without a loss before falling to Mater Dei in the 1994 Division I semifinals. “And anybody who plays them better be a good football team.

“We’re not bad.”

But Saugus didn’t appear ready after preparing all week for Los Alamitos’ high-powered passing attack.

On the second play of their first possession, following a Saugus punt, the Griffins scored on an 80-yard pass play from Feterik to Guyness to lead, 7-0.

Their second drive, following Colin Butterfield’s fumble, covered 32 yards and was capped by another Feterik strike. Sean Stein grabbed a six-yard pass and it was 14-0.

“Two stupid plays,” Bowman barked from the sidelines.

The Centurions were flagged for holding on first down of their next drive and had to punt. Punter Mark Pecaro launched a 54-yarder that settled on the Los Alamitos 16-yard line without a return.

The Griffins methodically went back to work, driving 84 yards in 14 plays to score on Feterik’s sneak to make it 21-0.

Saugus ran three plays and punted. The Griffins poured it on. Mike Phillips kicked a 15-yard field goal with one second left in the half. It took Los Alamitos 53 seconds in the second half to make it 31-0 on a 54-yard pass play, Feterik to Hartley.

The Griffins capped the scoring on a 29-yard fumble return by Mike Martinez and a 43-yard interception return by George Martin.