PREP FOOTBALL / GARDEN GROVE LEAGUE : Rancho Alamitos Rallies, Gets a Tie

GARDEN GROVE —  It was hard to read Rancho Alamitos Coach Doug Case’s expression after his team’s 28-28 tie with Pacifica Thursday night at Bolsa Grande High.

Was he fortunate to tie after being down 14 points with nine minutes left? Or was he frustrated he didn’t win after clock mismanagement forced kicker Nick Ortega into a last-second 46-yard field goal attempt that landed nearly 10 yards short?

“I don’t know,” Case said. “We’re still undefeated in league and I’m thankful for that.”

Rancho Alamitos (1-3-1, 1-0-1 in league) should have been thankful Pacifica led only 28-14 at halftime. Pacifica (3-1-1, 1-0-1) was nearly unstoppable running or passing. The Mariners scored touchdowns on four of their first five drives and they had a 39-yard field-goal attempt blocked at the end of the half by Rancho Alamitos’ Leo Kosi.

Pacifica quarterback J.D. Stern threw for 159 yards and two touchdowns against a confused Rancho Alamitos secondary, and running back Chase Hamm gained 31 yards and scored two touchdowns in the first half. Fortunately, Rancho Alamitos had Kosi.

Not only did Kosi keep the Vaqueros within two touchdowns (28-14) in the first half by scoring on runs of 80 and two yards, but he scored his team’s two second-half touchdowns on runs of 56 and nine yards. Kosi finished with 233 yards in 24 carries.

“We told them all week not to tackle him high because his legs are so strong,” Pacifica Coach Bill Craven said.

Craven’s sour expression was similar to Case’s. Had the Mariners not turned over the ball twice in the second half, they probably would be sitting atop the Garden Grove League race with their two toughest opponents, Los Amigos and Rancho, behind them.

Pacifica led, 28-14, with 9:20 left, but Stern had a pass intercepted by sophomore linebacker David Vickers, who returned it 15 yards. Kosi then bolted 56 yards down the right sideline to make it 28-21.

Kosi recovered a Pacifica fumble two minutes later and scored on a nine-yard run with 2:15 left to make it 28-27. Case decided to kick the extra point and he also decided to kick a 46-yard field goal on second down with 17 seconds left.