(Hacienda Heights, CA) The Los Altos Conquerors hosted the Marina Vikings Friday night for Homecoming at Dave Despain Athletic Field and lost a defensive battle 7-6 to the dismay of the Conqueror faithful.
Both teams struggled to find offensive rhythm and the defenses held serve for the entire first half.
The lone scoring opportunity came late in the first half when Marina’s Caiden Scholfield missed a 36-yard field goal attempt after a seven play drive stalled at the Los Altos 19.
The teams went to the locker rooms unable to put any points on the board.
The Vikings got the ball to start the second half and marched to paydirt covering 65-yards on seven plays. The score came on a 12-yard pass right down the middle from Garrett Hunnicutt to Anthony Fabian. Scholfield was successful on the extra point to give Marina a 7-0 lead.
The score would remain 7-0 until late in the final frame. Diego Castillo came on in relief of Anthony Silva and led the Conquerors on a nine play 66-yard scoring drive.
With his team at the six, Castillo called his own number and fought his way into the endzone.
Los Altos went for the win and lined up for a two-point conversion. Again Castillo called his own number and went around the left side. Castillo dove for the goal line and was hit hard just when he appeared to break the plane. The hit jarred the ball loose and into the endzone where it was recovered by Marina. After an appeal to the side judge, it was ruled that Castillo had not broken the plane before the ball came loose.
Los Altos lined up for the onside kick but could not get to the ball before it was covered by a Viking at the Marina 49.
The Vikings took a knee on three consecutive plays to close out the clock and the game.
The Conquerors will travel down the road next week to take on Nogales and try to regroup and get ready for the Valle Vista League opener on October 13 against Diamond Ranch
Nogales gonna make everything all right for Conquerors , at least for a week
Sounds like the Conqs got a QB battle on their hands.