PREP FOOTBALL / GARDEN GROVE LEAGUE : Defensive Effort Sparks Los Amigos Past Garden Grove

GARDEN GROVE —  Shaun Tagatauli and David Mejia returned fumbles for touchdowns to spark a strong defensive effort in Los Amigos’ 35-13 Garden Grove League victory over host Garden Grove Saturday night.

The Lobos also stopped four Garden Grove fourth-down conversion tries to move into a tie for second place with Santiago with two weeks left in the season. The two teams play Friday at Garden Grove.

Tagatauli returned a fumble 45 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the second quarter. A two-point conversion pass from Jacob Sanchez to Greg Fausto after the score gave Los Amigos a 15-0 lead. The Lobos scored a first-quarter touchdown on a 16-yard pass play from Sanchez to Fausto.

Garden Grove (2-6, 2-3) cut the lead to 15-7 with 1 minute 12 seconds left in the first half on a 63-yard touchdown pass from Troy Haller to Kevin Griswold and a conversion kick by Greg Pines.

The Argonauts moved to within two when Hall and Griswold teamed again for a two-yard touchdown pass with 2:45 left in the third quarter. La Rue Ken Carr broke up the conversion pass to prevent Garden Grove’s chance to tie the score.

Los Amigos (6-2, 3-1) put the game out of reach when Sanchez hit Tagatauli with a two-yard touchdown pass and Cleary’s conversion gave the Lobos a 22-13 edge.

Fausto scored from the three to give Los Amigos a 29-13 lead with five minutes remaining and Mejia’s 11-yard return with a fumble completed the scoring.

Los Amigos’ Sanchez completed 12 of 19 passes for 175 yards and Haller connected on 13 of 24 for 161 yards for Garden Grove.