By Jacob Wilson/Garden Grove Journal
There’s only so much even a great team can overcome.
Despite a 21-7 second quarter lead Garden Grove’s incredible and bittersweet season came to a bitter and painful end Friday night as the Argonauts lost to La Mirada 49-27 Friday in the CIF Southern Division finals.
“We started with a loss and we ended with a loss,” Garden Grove head coach Joe Hay said. “But that first one was much bigger than this one.”
Already down three starters to open the game, including Zach Huff, Garden Grove lost Sean Young one play into the second quarter. The Argonauts never recovered and fell to La Mirada’s swarming defense and methodical running attack.
“They had too many shots at us,” Hay said. “We could only hold up for so long.”
Defense set the tone most of the night. La Mirada took the early lead after a blocked punt gave the Matadors the ball at the Argonaut 18. J.T. Torres scored on a seven-yard run.
Joaquin Reynoso’s interception set up Garden Grove’s first score. Josh Sepulveda ran 46-yards to the two-yard line. One play later Young scored on a two-yard sneak for the touchdown.
Three minutes later Garden Grove took a 14-7 lead on a 60-yard pass play on third and long from Young to Josh Webb. After Young left the game Sepulveda ran out of the wildcat formation and scored from eight yards out to push the Argonaut lead to 21-7.
La Mirada cut the lead in half on a 29-yard run by Max Gama. The Matadores tied the game midway through the third on another seven-yard run by Torres and took the lead for good three minutes later on Julian Matta’s 26-yard reception from Daniel Poncedeleon.
Tyren Anderson scored a late touchdown for the Argonauts.
Garden Grove would have won if not for all those injuries.