Los Alamitos underclassmen laid down their helmets, one after the other, on the five-yard line.
Griffins junior operating again Kamden Tillis was already overcome by emotion, the truth of a 42-21 defeat to San Diego Cathedral within the Division 1-AA regional closing sinking into Los Alamitos because the gamers mentioned goodbye.
“I hate this moment,” mentioned Los Alamitos coach Ray Fenton, who led his program to a 12-3 report and a Southern Part Division 2 title.
Tillis, alongside together with his teammates, embraced every senior on the purpose line. Hug after hug. Phrases of brotherhood overpowering the sensations of a crushing defeat.
“I loved them to death,” Tillis mentioned of the Griffins’ seniors.
Los Alamitos defensive finish Jackson Renger, who recorded a sack Friday night time at Veterans Stadium and helped lead a defensive fury to defeat San Clemente per week in the past, pounded on the again of junior linebacker Koa Marasco as he informed Renger of how a lot he meant to him.
Los Alamitos receiver Ashton Gogue heads upfield after a reception towards San Diego Cathedral on Friday night time.
(Craig Weston)
“These are my best friends,” Renger mentioned.
Perception is constructed into Los Alamitos’ gamers bones.
Losses to Mission Viejo and San Clemente threw a wrench within the route the Griffins took to get this far. On every step of its journey to the state semifinal, Fenton’s program rallied.
The Griffins held a 14-7 lead early within the recreation Friday, utilizing touchdowns on a Colin Creason-to-Ashton Gogue 26-yard move and a two-yard quarterback keeper to set a tone towards the Dons.
However as the sport reached halftime, the brunt of Cathedral’s bigger offensive and defensive strains proved tough to beat.
Tillis stormed to a 26-yard carry to convey Los Alamitos to the nine-yard line with six seconds remaining within the first half.
Two makes an attempt to punch the ball in fell brief on incomplete passes earlier than a 26-yard field-goal try went huge left. As an alternative of being up by three factors, the Griffins and Dons entered halftime tied at 14.
San Diego Cathedral operating again Honor Fa’alave-Johnson jumps over a fallen blocker to cross the purpose line towards Los Alamitos on Friday night time.
(Craig Weston)
“We lost momentum,” Fenton mentioned. “We had it going.”
Cathedral opened the half with two lengthy landing passes from quarterback Brady Palmer to huge receiver Isaac Cook dinner, who completed with 183 receiving yards and three touchdowns, and iced the sport with their closing connection, a nine-yard landing move with 1:53 left on the clock. The Dons scored 28 unanswered factors.
Tillis by no means gave up, nevertheless, telling himself not to consider the long run, he mentioned. Los Alamitos averted a second-half goose egg due to a 45-yard landing run from the 5-foot-11 tailback.
For Creason, in a season the place, as Fenton put it, many believed Los Alamitos wouldn’t end with a profitable report, the Griffins exceeded their very own expectations by making it to a regional closing.
“We already got what we wanted to accomplish, but, I mean, this year has been magical,” the Griffins senior signal-caller mentioned.
And for Fenton, he’s grateful for the journey Los Alamitos introduced him.
“When you don’t have those expectations and pressure on you to win every game, you get better every day,” Fenton mentioned. “All of a sudden, I looked up and I go, ‘Oh my god, we’re in the finals.’ I honestly didn’t know we were in the finals. It was just another game for us to say we are in the finals.”
