Argonauts Shut Down Vaqueros

Garden Grove High held off a late Rancho Alamitos drive and defeated the visiting Vaqueros, 17-9, in a Garden Grove League game Thursday.

The Argonauts (3-3-1, 3-1) have won three consecutive games after an 0-3-1 start in which they were shut out three times. Garden Grove has all but locked up a playoff berth with league games against Santiago and winless Bolsa Grande remaining. Two victories would give Garden Grove at least second place.

The Argonaut defense did most of the work, holding Rancho Alamitos (3-3-1, 1-1-1) to 130 net yards and sacking Vaquero quarterback Daniel Green seven times. The defense also forced four fumbles and held the top two Rancho Alamitos receivers, Maurice Garcia and Fidel Carrillo, without a catch until the final three minutes.

Leading the way for the Garden Grove defense were defensive ends Sione and Tauveli Taumofoelau (1 1/2 sacks each), defensive tackle Adrian Placinta (two sacks) and cornerback Juan Delgado, who did a tremendous job covering Garcia. Garcia had 30 catches in the first six games, but had just one Thursday.

Garden Grove took a 3-0 lead on a 39-yard field goal by Nick Grenert in the first quarter, then increased the lead in the second quarter. Sione Taumofoelau sacked Green and knocked the ball loose, and his brother recovered at the Vaquero five-yard line. Two plays later, Thomas Parrilla scored the first of his two touchdowns on a four-yard run.

Rancho Alamitos had a chance to tie the score late. Trailing, 17-9, the Vaqueros drew consecutive pass interference penalties and had first and goal at the seven with two minutes left, but stalled there.