From OC Varsity
COSTA MESA – It was a running-game runaway.
The Garden Grove Argonauts celebrate their 35-0 victory over Rancho Alamitos in the CIF-SS Southern Division championship football game at Orange Coast College Saturday night. (KEVIN SULLIVAN, OC Varsity)
Garden Grove rushed for 310 yards and five touchdowns and the Argonauts defense posted another shutout in their 35-0 win over Rancho Alamitos in the CIF-Southern Section Southern Division championship game Saturday at Orange Coast College.
The win ended two years of frustration for the Argonauts. They lost in the Southern Division finals in 2012 and ’13.
“We’d come up short two years in a row,” said Garden Grove senior defensive back Reily Hoalton, who had three interceptions. “This is an incredible feeling.”
Garden Grove won its second CIF football championship over the past five years. They won the Southern Division title in 2010.
Saturday’s game was an all-Garden Grove affair. Rancho Alamitos and Garden Grove play in the Garden Grove League and both schools are in the city of Garden Grove.
Rancho Alamitos finished 11-3. Garden Grove finished 13-1 … although Argonauts coach Ricardo Cepeda said he hopes his team gets selected to play in the CIF state regionals that will be played next week. Those selections will be announced Sunday.
CalHiSports.com’s rankings of bowl-eligible teams had Garden Grove at No. 6 in Division 3 South.
“We want to play next week,” Cepeda said. “We think we’ve got a shot.”
Argonauts senior quarterback Alejandro Ceja rushed for 125 yards and two touchdowns. Jordan Antunez rushed for 99 yards and one touchdown. Joseph Camarillo rushed for 66 yards and two touchdowns.
Ceja gave the credit to the Garden Grove offensive line.
“This whole week, oh my God, their dedication was like no other,” said Ceja, who scored on runs of 20 and 21 yards. “They pushed the blocking sled like 100 yards every time.”
The six blocks of Garden Grove granite: guards Gerardo Rodarte and Ricardo Aguilar, tackles Juan Ossa and Matthew Goldowski, center Marcos Horduno and tight end Nathan Garcia.
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