PHOTOS: Garden Grove defeats Rancho Al in resumption of crosstown rivalry game

Garden Grove Argonauts running back Quentin Pacelli breaks loose for a long gain during the second quarter of Friday night’s rivalry game against Rancho Alamitos at Michael A. Monsoor Memorial Stadium. (PHOTOS: Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone).

After a six-year interruption to their rivalry, Rancho Alamitos and Garden Grove clashed in a non-league game Friday night at Michael A. Monsoor Memorial Stadium and when the dust cleared the Argonauts came away with a 20-10 victory.

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The rivalry dates to 1958, but Friday was the first time the two teams played since 2019. Garden Grove has won the last 10 meetings, but the Vaqueros hold a 33-27-2 overall edge. Garden Grove maintains the Jack Jordan Memorial Trophy, named after a former Garden Grove principal.     

Garden Grove quarterback Calvin Keovphan threw two touchdown passes, running back Quentin Pacelli rushed for 232 yards and the Argonauts defense overcame three turnovers as Garden Grove (2-3) won its second consecutive game after dropping its first three games of the season.

“Our defense was cooperative tonight, and this win gives us momentum going into league play next week,” said defensive tackle Leiland Maia. “We worked hard, and we were solid all night.”

Two plays after Garden Grove stopped Rancho Alamitos (3-2) on a fourth-down play on the game’s opening possession, Keovphan faked a handoff into the line and threw a perfect strike to Aaron Payan over the middle who raced 52 yards for a touchdown to give the Argonauts a 7-0 lead at the 6:39 mark of the first quarter. 

The Vaqueros countered with a drive to the Garden Grove 10-yard line, but safety Christian Mendoza intercepted a Rancho Alamitos pass in the end zone to foil the Vaqueros’ drive.

“We worked together and we’re coming back as a team,” said Mendoza, who had a second interception late in the second quarter to stop a Vaqueros drive. He had a third interception in the end zone, but a penalty nullified the play. “This trophy belongs with us, and this is where it will stay. We brought our energy tonight.”

Five plays after Mendoza’s first interception, the Argonauts capitalized as Pacelli, California’s leading rusher, broke free and rambled 52 yards for a touchdown, upping the Gardon Grove lead to 14-0 with 30 seconds remaining in the opening quarter.

“I owe my success to my O-line (Santiago Domingo, David Maciel, Nigel Rosete, Henry Nguyen, Nathan Battle) and my running back coach, Mike Carrillo,” said Pacelli. Pacelli has amassed 1.415 yards in five games rushing this season and has scored 12 touchdowns. His goal is to break Carrillo’s rushing (Garden Grove) record of 2,457 yards.

“He wants me to break his record,” Pacelli added.

Jacob Molina added a field goal to get the Vaqueros on the board early in the second quarter, trimming the lead to 14-3. Late in the half, Rancho Alamitos marched to the Garden Grove 25-yard line, but Mendoza picked off his second pass of the game to spoil another Vaqueros drive and Garden Grove took a 14-3 lead into the locker room.

Keovphan and Payan connected on a 75-yard TD pass play on the first play of the second half, increasing the Argonauts lead to 20-3.

“We’re on a roll now winning two games in a row after dropping our first three,” said Payan, who had three receptions for 151 yards and two touchdowns. “Our defense set us up and we just wanted to put points on the board.”   

The Rancho Alamitos defense forced three turnovers in the third quarter but were unable to capitalize. Garden Grove’s defense, led by Carlos Garcia, Mendoza and Nathan Garcia and Maia, kept the Vaqueros out of the end zone until the final minutes of the game.

Rancho Alamitos suffered the loss of quarterbacks Vincent Gentile (wrist) and Mason Hernandez, who left the game after getting sacked in the fourth quarter. Jacob Vasquez was under center for most of the fourth quarter and threw a TD pass to Davian Sanchez late in the game. 

“They scored on three big plays and when you don’t stop those plays, you don’t win football games,” said Vaqueros coach Mike Enright, who is in his 26^th year as head coach.     

“The blocking up front was really good tonight and Calvin was great,” said Garden Grove coach Matthew LemMon. “This team showed their resilience, and we made some adjustments by placing guys to other positions and it’s paying off and we’re improving.”

Keovphan completed eight passes for 211 yards, and two TD passes for Garden Grove. Sanchez and Jacob Vasquez combined 14 receptions for 100 yards and a TD for the Vaqueros.   

Notes:

—Next week, Rancho Alamitos opens its Sigma League schedule with an away game at Estancia while the Argonauts will have their Kappa League opener at Esperanza.

—-Pacelli, who bench presses 375 pounds and squats 600 pounds, also owns two state power lifting records, set a goal this season to break Mike Carrillo’s rushing record of 2,547 yards that was established during the 2018 season. Pacelli rushed for 1,530 yards last season and has rushed for a school record of 380 yards twice this season.

—According to Rancho Alamitos Coach Mike Enright and Garden Grove coach Matthew LemMon, up until six years ago, Rancho Alamitos and Garden Grove was the longest running football rivalry in Orange County. The annual matchup was discontinued for several reasons. However, on Friday the two teams rekindled the rivalry on Friday with the 62^nd matchup.   

—“I’m not in favor a five-team league,” said Enright. “I wish we played one preseason game and nine league games. We wanted this rivalry back because our team needed an emotional game to get ready for the league play.” 

—The Jack Jordan Memorial Trophy was first awarded in 1958 after Rancho Alamitos defeated Garden Grove 20-12. The Vaqueros last won in 2011. The two teams played twice in 2014.