Los Alamitos Guided by Backup

Los Alamitos clinched a Southern Section Division I playoff berth with a 42-7 rout of Huntington Beach in a Sunset League game Saturday night at Huntington Beach High.

Jeff Kline, filling in for the injured Tim Bessolo, completed 13 of 19 passes for 201 yards in his second career start for Los Alamitos (6-2, 3-0-1 in league play). Kline threw for three first-half touchdowns after opening the scoring with a 47-yard touchdown run.

“That’s the second straight really good game Kline has had,” Los Alamitos Coach John Barnes said. “Tim may be back next week, but I’m really happy having either one of them out there.”

After missing on his first four pass attempts, Kline completed nine of his next 10 as he led the Griffins to a 35-0 halftime lead. He connected with Kevin Van Gorder on scoring passes of 46 and 48 yards and with Travis Brody on a 30-yard scoring strike. Brandon Tripp added a 66-yard interception return for a touchdown for the Griffins. Kline also ran for 72 yards in six carries.

Thanks to seven kickoffs into the end zone by Griffin kicker Nicholas Coromelas, Huntington Beach started all of its possessions at or inside its own 20. The Oilers (2-7, 0-4) didn’t find the end zone until the final minute of the game, when quarterback Phil Amico capped a 19-play drive by scurrying around the right side for a five-yard scoring run. Huntington Beach passed for only 40 yards, getting most of its offensive production from Patrick Harrigan, who rushed for 117 yards, and Amico, who rushed for 58.

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Brentwood 43, Palos Verdes Chadwick 6--J Reese had two interceptions, including one he returned 102 yards for a touchdown, and Adam Klappholz rushed 13 times for 164 yards and a touchdown as Brentwood (6-1, 4-0) clinched the Prep League title.