Rancho Alamitos Stomps La Quinta

Rancho Alamitos running back Leo Kosi sat out most of the second half of Friday night’s Garden Grove League game with La Quinta. So did La Quinta tailback Jhamal Dawkins.

Kosi was resting up for next week’s showdown with Los Amigos after his Vaqueros built a 34-0 halftime lead on the way to their seventh consecutive victory, 55-7, over the Aztecs (2-5, 0-3).

Dawkins, on the other hand, was watching in frustration from the trainer’s table after suffering ligament damage to his left knee in the second quarter. Both personified their teams: Rancho Alamitos enjoying a breather the week before the big game; La Quinta beaten, and beaten up.

It was another day at the office for the Vaqueros (7-0, 4-0), the third-ranked team in Division VIII. They rolled up 321 rushing yards in the opening half and scored on each of their five possessions to build a 34-0 lead. Kosi scored on runs of five and 49 yards, and quarterback Taylor Yandell scored on a 36-yard bootleg and a one-yard sweep. David Vickers added a 59-yard touchdown run.

Rancho Alamitos put the game on ice by scoring 15 third-quarter points before the offense took the field. Mike Hanlyn returned an interception 17 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the half. On the next Aztec possession, La Quinta went three-and-out and set up to punt on fourth down. The snap eluded punter Daniel Almazan, who kicked the bouncing ball out the back of the end zone for a safety. Vickers returned the ensuing free kick 62 yards for another touchdown and a 49-0 lead.

Rancho Alamitos locked up one of the league playoff berths from the and set up a showdown for first place with Los Amigos (5-2, 3-0) next week.

“I didn’t want our kids to overlook La Quinta,” Vaquero Coach Doug Case said. “We’ve got a big game coming up next week and I wanted to make sure our kids were focused on tonight.”

“The offense and defense were both clicking like we wanted them to. The offensive line played outstanding, and Leo [Kosi] and [David] Vickers broke some big plays.”

Without Dawkins, who was on pace for a 1,000-yard season before missing last week’s game because of a broken toe, the Aztec offense was held to minus-9 yards in the second half, and 53 in the game. Alex Pulido scored the lone La Quinta touchdown on a six-yard run in the third quarter.