LOOKING BACK: Santa Ana opened with thrilling 33-26 victory over Buena Park

Santa Ana High School Coach Charlie TeGantvoort meets with his players in the season opener in 2019. (Photo courtesy Jim McCormack, For OC Sports Zone)

High school football in Orange County has been rescheduled for January 2021 and there will undoubtedly be some exciting games ahead if the seasons do occur.

There are plenty of memories from 2019.

We look back at a thrilling game from Friday, Aug. 23, 2019 between Santa Ana and Buena Park.

It was the season opener for both teams and the first game in Buena Park’s new on-campus stadium..

Santa Ana pulled off a 33-26 victory when quarterback Aldo Leyva connected with Isaac Larriva on a 38-yard TD play with 52 seconds left.

The game was tied 20-20 at halftime and Buena Park (0-1) held a 26-20 lead after three quarters. Leyva had 203 passing yards, Daimien Feliz rushed for 156 yards and Larriva, a junior, had 162 yards receiving.

Buena Park had some solid performances. Danez Maxey returned the opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown. Khalil Blanton also returned a kickoff 90 yards for a TD and scored three times.

“With so many of last year’s team being seniors (who many are now playing College football, including three at the Division 1 level); this year’s team is a young team with only one returning starter on both offense and defense, so this game was a learning experience for all of us last night,” Santa Ana Coach Charlie TeGantvoort said the day after the game.

-Courtesy Jim McCormack, For OC Sports Zone