Griffins Get a Miracle Kick and Stun Loyola in OT, 30-23

Los Angeles Loyola High players looked gleeful on the sideline, their victory over Los Alamitos Friday night seemingly in hand as Griffin place-kicker Chris Kluwe lined up for a 60-yard, last-second field-goal attempt that could send the game into overtime.

“They have got to be kidding themselves!” one Cub exclaimed. “Who is this guy?”

Now Loyola knows.

Kluwe’s improbable 60-yarder cleared the crossbar as time expired, tied the score and propelled Los Alamitos to a heart-thumping 30-23 double-overtime victory over the Cubs in a Southern Section Division I quarterfinal before about 6,500 at Glendale High. For the second consecutive season the Griffins (11-1) advanced to the semifinals, where they will meet Long Beach Poly, which defeated Fontana A.B. Miller, 21-7, Friday.

Kluwe, who has committed to UCLA, said he knew his kick--which tied the score, 16-16--was good as soon as it left his foot.

“I was thinking I’ve just got to make it,” said Kluwe, who also made field goals of 47 and 28 yards and had two others blocked. “Mainly I wanted to get my foot into it and not have it blocked.”

Los Alamitos quarterback Mike Sanford’s 25-yard pass to Tony Holder in the right corner of the end zone gave the Griffins the decisive score in the second overtime.

Loyola (8-4) had a fourth-and-six situation at the Los Alamitos eight-yard line on its ensuing possession when Cub quarterback Matt Ware was blindsided by Griffin defensive lineman Matt Abrams behind the line of scrimmage, wrapping up the victory.

Both teams scored touchdowns in the first overtime.

Several Los Alamitos players made big-time contributions. Sanford completed 25 of 37 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Adam Nauta accumulated 122 yards and two touchdowns in 24 carries.

“This has been a great group of kids,” Griffin Coach John Barnes said. “They have overachieved all year.”

For Loyola, which lost leads of 10-7, 13-10 and 16-13, running back Taylor Williams finished with a game-high 148 yards rushing and a touchdown in 24 carries. Nathan Oakes booted field goals of 35, 27 and 32 yards.

The teams have only met twice, but both games have been thrillers. In the only other meeting between the schools, in the 1995 Division I semifinals, Loyola defeated Los Alamitos, 37-34.