PREP FOOTBALL / NORTH COUNTY ROUNDUP : Santa Ana Valley Rallies to Defeat Rancho Alamitos

Santa Ana Valley rallied from a nine-point halftime deficit behind a stingy defense and quarterback Mike Guerrero’s three touchdowns to post a 25-21 victory over Rancho Alamitos Thursday at Santa Ana Stadium.

Santa Ana Valley (1-0) played the second half without all-league linebacker Eliu Fatu, who was hobbled by an ankle injury he suffered in an earlier scrimmage. But the defense gave up only six second-half points.

Guerrero completed 10 of 19 passes for 132 yards, connecting on nine of 11 passes in the second half, and scored on two quarterback sneaks.

Guerrero’s 10-yard touchdown run came with 6 minutes 12 seconds remaining and gave Santa Ana Valley a 19-15 lead. That run capped an 86-yard scoring drive, and his 23-yard touchdown run capped a 95-yard drive.

After Santa Ana Valley’s Larry Collins, who had three sacks, tackled quarterback Daniel Green for a seven-yard loss to turn over the ball on downs at the Vaquero 28, Guerrero threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Barragan with 4:06 remaining to make it 25-15.