Football: Los Alamitos Wins First Playoff Game Since 2004

For the first time since 2004, when Los Alamitos reached the Southern Section Division I championship against Long Beach Poly, the Griffins walked off the field after a playoff game in a good mood.

It has been nine years since Los Alamitos won a playoff contest. It responded to its first round game against Foothill as if it was taking out a decade’s worth of frustration by scoring a decisive victory over the Century League co-champion at Tustin High.

Los Alamitos will play next week at Fullerton.

• See Patch's Playoff Analysis 

Score: Los Alamitos 42, Foothill 0

Key Stats: Nick Wendell passed for 262 yards three touchdowns and Kendall Brownlow scored three times for Los Alamitos.  

Pivotal Moment: The writing was likely on the wall at halftime when Los Alamitos held a 21-0 lead, but when the Griffins opened the second half with a 75-yard scoring pass from Wendell to Brownlow, the outcome was imminent.

Quotable: “We played a complete game,” Los Alamitos coach John Barnes told OC Varsity. “I’m shocked. I knew they were very physical. … Nick (Wendell) was great and our defense was great.”

Records: Los Alamitos (9-2), Foothill (8-3)

Notes: In addition to the bomb, Brownlow also scored on a 13-yard pass reception and a 5-yard run, on the first and last scores of the game. He had 129 yards receiving. … Mike Hayden scored on two 1-yard runs that gave Los Al a 21-0 margin. … In addition to Wendell’s scoring passes to Brownlow, he also passed 12 yards to Joe Wysocki . … Los Alamitos scored 21 in the third quarter. … The fourth quarter was played with a running clock. … This was Los Alamitos’ third shutout of the season, and the ninth time an opponent scored two touchdowns or fewer. ... The Griffins’ last playoff victory was on Dec. 3, 2004, a 14-9 semifinal over Lakewood. They lost the following week to Long Beach Poly, 21-6. ... After the 2004 season, Coach John Barnes took a job at Servite, but only for a few hours; he returned to Los Al, Servite hired Troy Thomas and won seven league titles, two Pac-5 championships and one State Bowl. This year, Thomas left Servite for Crespi, and Barnes won another playoff game. … Foothill and Edison are the Griffins’ only opponents with as many as eight victories this season. ... Four of the five Sunset League teams won their games, including Huntington Beach's upset of second-seeded Yorba Linda, 31-14; the exception was Fountain Valley, which lost by one point at San Juan Hills. 

SOUTHWEST DIVISION

First Round

Top Bracket

La Habra 42, Canyon 21

Newport Harbor 32, Dana Hills 13

Los Alamitos 42, Foothill 0

Fullerton 29, Valencia 21

Bottom Bracket

Edison 35, Cypress 14

Villa Park 66, Buena Park 40

San Juan Hills 28, Foutain Valley 27

Huntington Beach 31, Yorba Linda 14