Los Amigos Runs Over Santiago

Los Amigos rushed for 427 yards to punish Santiago, 40-7, Thursday night at Garden Grove High in a Garden Grove League season finale.

Levertis Riley, who filled in for the injured Najja Kee, rushed for 202 in 17 carries. Kee, the Lobos’ leading rusher with 1,189 yards for the season, did not play because of a sprained ankle.

“He’s got some good wheels,” Los Amigos Coach Roger Takahashi said of Riley. “Not a lot of power, but he’s got the speed.”

The Lobos got support from Eki Taula, who had 106 yards in nine carries and three touchdowns and Shaun Tagatuli, who had 93 yards in 18 carries and two touchdowns.

Taula gave the Lobos a 7-0 lead when he burst up the middle for 55 yards, but the Cavaliers responded when quarterback Ben Tran threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Jorge Ponce to tie the score.

The Lobos led, 19-7, at the half after touchdown runs by Tagatuli from two yards and quarterback Thong Nguyen from 11 yards.

In the second half, the Lobos scored on an 18-yard run by Tagatuli.

The Cavaliers fumbled two punts deep in their territory. The Lobos converted those turnovers into touchdowns when Nguyen found Taula for a 19-yard score in the third quarter. After the Cavaliers fumbled a punt inside their 5, the Lobos scored on a three-yard run by Taula three plays later.

“Sometimes they short circuit and not do the real smart thing,” Santiago Coach Ben Haley said of his team.

The victory gave Los Amigos (7-3, 5-1) second place in the league. The Cavaliers are 6-4, 4-2 and take third place in the league, but will make the playoffs.