Covina Rolls Through Traffic, Routs Rancho Alamitos

Covina, top-ranked in the Division VII football poll, didn’t arrive at Bolsa Grande High until about 20 minutes before Thursday night’s nonleague game against Rancho Alamitos.

“Traffic on the 22 wasn’t moving at all,” Colt Coach Dick Sheehan said.

The Garden Grove Freeway did a more effective job of stopping Covina than did the Vaqueros, who fell, 37-7. Covina (8-0), of the Valle Vista League, opened the scoring with a 93-yard interception return for a touchdown, then scored on five of its next six possessions.

Rancho Alamitos (2-5-1) moved the ball effectively to start the game, driving from its 29-yard line to the Colt 18. Robert Jarvis intercepted a John Frank pass and returned it 93 yards for a 7-0 lead. Covina increased that lead to 14-0 when quarterback Michael Ulrich ran a bootleg around the right side and went 33 yards for a touchdown.

The Vaqueros scored early in the second quarter. Four consecutive carries by Leo Kosi (111 yards) set up a 30-yard touchdown run by sophomore David Vickers.

Covina only outgained Rancho Alamitos 311 yards to 226, but fourth-down plays proved costly to the Vaqueros. They averaged only 20 yards on their first three punts and once turned the ball over on downs.

“The first half we executed much better,” Vaquero Coach Doug Case said. “The second half, we didn’t sustain blocks and couldn’t keep them out of the end zone. The next two weeks will tell a lot. We need to win to go on [to the playoffs].”