No. 1 Rancho Alamitos Upset

Adam Schitea hit Chris Marzett with a 37-yard touchdown pass with 4 minutes 7 seconds left in the game to break a tie and give Covina Northview a 14-7 victory over top-seeded Rancho Alamitos in the second round of the Southern Section Division VIII playoffs Saturday night at Covina Stadium.

Rancho Alamitos had two opportunities to tie the score in the closing seconds, squandering both for the Vaqueros’ first loss of the season.

After the Viking touchdown pass, Rancho Alamitos took over on its 49 after an onside kick went out of bounds. The Vaqueros, behind the passing of George Gonzalez, who hit Anthony Huizar on successive passes of 24, seven and 11 yards, drove down to the Northview nine.

The Vaqueros had an incomplete pass and a three-yard Gonzalez completion to Shawn Young and a three-yard run by Gonzalez to move to the three with 1:20 left in the game. On fourth down, Gonzalez connected on a pass to Huizar who was stopped on the one by Mike Thompson to give the Vikings the ball.

Two plays later, Alex Blanco recovered a Rahman Wallace fumble on the four to give Rancho Alamitos one more chance with 58 seconds left.

A five-yard penalty moved the Vaqueros back to the nine. Gonzalez missed on two pass tries and the third attempt was intercepted by Greg Washington in the end zone to preserve the victory for the Vikings.

The hard-fought game was marred by a major scuffle after the game when fighting broke out during the traditional player handshakes.

Rancho Alamitos scored in the first quarter when Young took a sideline pass on the right side, avoided a tackle, spun around and raced to the left sideline before turning up field for a 56-yard touchdown play.

The play also accounted for more than half of the 94 first-half yards for Rancho Alamitos. Northview was also limited to fewer than 100 yards in the first half which was highlighted by a pair of punts by Huizar who twice scrambled before kicks of 53 and 45 yards.

Northview tied score with 43 seconds left in the third quarter. Wallace followed a 33-yard run with a one-yard touchdown run.

Northview (10-2) advances to the semifinals Friday against Laguna Hills.

Vickers finished the game with 70 yards rushing for Rancho Alamitos and Gonzalez hit 11 of 23 passes for 164 yards and one interception.