By Tim Peterson
(Hacienda Heights) – Arroyo jumped out to a 21-0 lead and then held on for a 27-19 win over Los Altos Thursday night to advance to the CIF Division 12 Semi Finals.
Los Altos turned the ball over six times overall including an interception by Arroyo’s Adam Huizar of Devon Groves with less than a minute left at the Arroyo 25-yard line to seal the victory for the Knights.
Los Altos, which had cut the Arroyo lead to 27-19 with 2:54 left in the fourth quarter, had the ball back and marched down to the Knight 38 yard line before Huizar stepped in front of an errant Groves toss to end it.
It was the third pick of the night thrown by Groves, two of them grabbed by Ruben Munoz, who also scored a touchdown on a reception.
Los Altos tuned the ball over on five of its first six possessions in the first half. Arroyo failed to take advantage of the miscues in the first quarter but broke through early in the second. Joe Reyes hit Munoz in the corner for a 49-yard touchdown pass for a 7-0 lead with 10:26 left in the second quarter.
One Minute later Munoz intercepted Groves and returned it 52 yards for a touchdown. Just like that the pick six gave Arroyo a 14-0 lead.
Later in the quarter Arroyo pieced together a 7-play, 63-yard drive. Victor Prado capped it with a one-yard run to make it 21-0 with 4;54 left. The Knights took the three touchdown lead into the half.
Los Altos got back into it in the third quarter. On the Conquerors’ first series of the third, they drove 67 yards for the score. Anthony Rivas went 15-yards up the middle for a touchdown.
On the next possession Los Altos used 11 plays to go 62 yards. Again it was Rivas with the finish on a two-yard run to cut the lead to 21-13 with six seconds left in the third quarter. The extra point was blocked.
The Knights answered with an 8-play, 77-yard march to get the lead back to two touchdowns. Nate Guardado punched it in from two yards out. The extra point also failed and it was 27-13.
Los Altos wasn’t done yet. The Conqs again put together a long drive going 74 yards on 14 plays. Rivas picked up his third score of the night on a 25-yard burst up the middle with 2:54 left. They were still down by eight though as a two-point conversion attempt failed.
The Knights went three and out giving Los Altos one last shot before Huizar’s pick iced it.
For Los Altos Rivas rushed for 132 yards and three touchdowns on 29 carries for the bulk of the offense.
Munoz had two catches for 56 yards and a touchdown and the pick six. Reyes threw for 105 yards and a score and he also ran for 45 yards on six carries.
Arroyo, 9-3 overall, will play in the Division 12 Semi Finals next week. Los Altos finished the season 4-8.
Los Altos wasn’t good this year by their standards . That’s why they are in D11 . Correspondingly they made 6 turnovers, that’s what bad teams do.
Arroyo won the game and their defense carried them all year , who cares how many young players they have ?
You should be better next and maybe get back into D9
Los Altos lost to every good team they played. They’re both in D12 for a reason. They’re pretty much equal. Los Altos plays a much tougher schedule than Arroyo so they have a bad record. Give Arroyo Los Altos’ schedule and they finish the year 3-7 not 7-3.
Because of their schedule and them getting beat up most of the year, Los Altos has been viewed as a bad team all year. Arroyo was viewed as a bad team until league started and they steam rolled everyone and now they’ve “found it” so now they’re viewed as a good team. Playing in the MVL made it a little easier for Arroyo to find it.
End of the day, both teams are equal. Los Altos might have the experience but Arroyo is clicking on all cylinders right now and they were fresher. They didn’t get beat up as much as Los Altos this year. The hotter team wins in the playoffs.
I think Arroyo wins it all again. They own D12. Anything above that they wouldn’t win.
@detached observer Honesty no matter how many Losses los Altos had this they are and have always been a way above average team. They played good teams. They have more talented players than any of the teams Arroyo played. But all of a sudden Arroyo beats them and Los Altos is garbage Get the F#$% out of here. Los Altos has alot of playoff experience to go along with a good coach. Any team even a 4 win team with playoff experience is dangerous in the playoffs. Arroyo has alot of players who are 1st time Varsity starters. Why not just enjoy the game and stop LOOKING for negativity. Whoever is still in is getting the job done and good team like LA Serna didnt get the job done are out.
Six turnovers and a pick 6 , and still in the game??
Not sure what to say about all this , but have to generally agree with the above
While my first reaction is to congratulate Arroyo on the win and advancement to the semis, my second thought is: how can we view a team that finished 4-8 as one that had a successful season? Yet, thanks to CIF’s incredibly lax playoff admission standards, that is how the Conquerors may indeed describe their 2022 campaign. This is clearly a case of putting lipstick on a pig, and daring anyone to say that the thing is still a swine.