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La Mirada rallies to take Southern Division title

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La Mirada scored 42 unanswered points to capture its second CIF championship in nine tries with a 49-27 Southern Division victory over Garden Grove at Orange Coast College.

The Argonauts (13-1) could not overcome the untimely loss of senior quarterback Sean Young. Garden Grove’s leading passer and rusher left with a game-ending injury after guiding his team to a 21-7 lead with 11:42 remaining in the first half.

La Mirada’s high-powered offense, behind senior running back J.P. Torres, took advantage of the Argonauts’ inability to move the ball for most of the remaining of the contest. Torres, who opened the game’s scoring with a seven-yard run on the Matadores’ third play from scrimmage, put the game out of reach on a 52-yard rush down the right sideline for his third score and a 42-21 lead with 7:31 left in the game.

Senior quarterback Daniel Poncedeleon put his team ahead for good with a 26-yard lob to Julian Matta in the left corner of the end zone for a 28-21 advantage at 2:58 of the third. It was a play that went for numerous touchdowns this season for the Matadores, whose only other championship came in 1992 when current co-coach Mike Moschetti was quarterback.

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--Matt Piazza

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