FOOTBALL / GARDEN GROVE LEAGUE : Vickers, Kosi Lead Vaqueros to 41-14 Rout

Rancho Alamitos Coach Doug Case, a weary eye cast toward next week’s Garden Grove League showdown with Los Amigos, got the balanced offensive attack he has been looking for Thursday night.

Sophomore running back David Vickers opened the game with a 73-yard touchdown run, junior running back Leo Kosi, the county’s leading scorer, made it into the end zone three times and senior quarterback John Frank passed for 181 yards to lead the Vaqueros past La Quinta, 41-14, in a Garden Grove League game at Bolsa Grande.

“I thought we came out early and executed well, the best we have all year,” Case said.

Vickers’ jaunt up the middle of the La Quinta defense got things going, then Kosi capped an 11-play, 91-yard drive with 1 minute 30 seconds left in the first quarter.

La Quinta capitalized on one of five Rancho Alamitos fumbles, this one recovered at the Vaqueros’ six-yard line by Justin Harville. Four plays later Jhamal Dawkins scored from the two-yard line, cutting the lead to 14-7.

But Kosi’s second touchdown run with 1:05 left in the half lifted Rancho Alamitos (2-3-1, 2-0-1). Frank gave the Vaqueros more breathing room, passing three yards to Taylor Yandell early in the third quarter.

Frank, a three-year starter who threw for nearly 2,000 yards last season, is believed to be the Vaqueros’ career passing leader. He has thrown for 544 yards this year, and nearly 3,500 in his career.

Kosi, who rushed for 103 yards, has scored 15 touchdowns this season. It was the sixth consecutive time he has eclipsed the century mark.

If there was a downside for Rancho Alamitos, it was the loss of defensive standout Turnbull Mulipola. He was thrown out of the game in the second half, apparently for throwing a punch, and will have to sit out the Oct. 20 contest with Los Amigos.

Struggling La Quinta (0-6, 0-2) got a moral victory of sorts. The 14 points they got in this one was more than they have scored in a single game against five previous opponents.