Shorthanded Los Amigos football falls to Artesia
LAKEWOOD — From the opening quarter of its season, the Los Amigos football team has been playing with contingency plans at quarterback.
The Lobos utilized their fourth and fifth options at the position on Friday, while one was enough for Lakewood Artesia in the nonleague game.
Artesia quarterback Charlie Lopez rushed for 241 yards and four touchdowns, as the host Pioneers defeated Los Amigos 35-15 to cap the first half of the season.
Lopez’s legs proved too much for shorthanded Los Amigos (2-3), vanquishing a deficit for Artesia (4-1) after the first quarter and breaking the game open with touchdown runs of 57, 14 and 87 yards in the second half.
“It’s big,” Lopez said of the win. “Last year, we got blown out by several teams. We’re blowing them out like how they did to us last year, so I think it’s a big move. We could do way better. Just got more to go. Couple more games ahead of us, so we just keep going forward.”
An offensive line of Jonathan Martinez, Maximus Garcia, Chase Adams, King Johnson and Deangelo Tucker helped the Pioneers accrue 387 rushing yards. Josue Flores, whose second-quarter scoring run gave Artesia the lead, and Amaree Davis both topped 70 yards on the ground.
Los Amigos coach Romel Guess said the Lobos were playing without eight starters. Among the players out on Friday were Maysen Navarro, Pedro Hernandez and Adrian Ramirez, who had been the lead options at quarterback, running back and receiver, respectively. Chris Rivera, whose contributions were key in the home opener as the backup quarterback, was also out.
The impact of the injuries showed. Guess said one of the effects included shortening the playbook, while the toll of playing both ways led to big gains for the Pioneers in the second half.
With the Lobos set to begin their Garden Grove League schedule on Sept. 29 at home against La Quinta, Guess said he is looking for solutions over excuses in the face of adversity.
“I understand our challenges,” Guess said. “We got no choice but to fight. We can’t wave the white flag with five games to play, with the most important games that lie ahead of us. All we can do is not focus on who’s not here, work with the guys that are here.”
Miguel Radilla, a wide receiver who drew the start at quarterback, lifted Los Amigos into the lead with a 7-yard rushing touchdown late in the first quarter.
Raul Cruz had a team-high 110 rushing yards for the Lobos, finding the end zone on his 18th and final carry of the evening. Radilla connected with Alejandro Carrillo on the right side of the formation for the two-point conversion. Isaac Galindo added 60 rushing yards.
“We got guys out there trying, man, and he’s one of them,” Guess added. “Cruz played his [behind] off, and he was banged up in the first quarter. He finished the game, he’s running hard in a blowout game, and he’s still trying to be productive. I tip my hat to him and all those dudes.”
Nonleague
Artesia 35, Los Amigos 15
Los Amigos 7 - 0 - 0 - 8 — 15
Artesia 0 - 14 - 14 - 7 — 35
FIRST QUARTER
LA — Radilla 7 run (Radilla kick), 2:29.
SECOND QUARTER
A — Lopez 13 run (Alvarez kick blocked), 8:26.
A — Flores 36 run (Lopez run), 4:51.
THIRD QUARTER
A — Lopez 57 run (Alvarez kick), 10:21.
A — Lopez 14 run (Alvarez kick), 4:02.
FOURTH QUARTER
A — Lopez 87 run (Alvarez kick), 8:23.
LA — Cruz 13 run (Carrillo pass from Radilla), 5:07.
INDIVIDUAL RUSHING
LA — R. Cruz, 18-110, 1 TD.
A — Lopez, 12-241, 4 TDs.
INDIVIDUAL PASSING
LA — Mejia, 3-6-0, 25.
A — Lopez, 3-7-0, 23.
INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING
LA — Radilla, 2-11.
A — P. Cruz, 2-15.
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