In a crucial Alpha League matchup with playoff implications, Los Alamitos and San Clemente battled it out at Veterans Stadium on Thursday night. The game came down to the wire, with Los Alamitos emerging victorious in a thrilling 28-27 finish.
Class of 2026 running back Lenny Ibarra played a pivotal role for the Griffins, pounding his way to two touchdowns that kept Los Alamitos in contention throughout the game. Ibarra, who has been making waves as a sophomore, continued to showcase his potential as a key offensive weapon for the Griffins.
The game reached its climax in the final seconds when Los Alamitos took a 28-21 lead with just 34 seconds remaining on the clock. Ibarra scored his third touchdown of the night on a 9-yard run, capping off an impressive performance[4].
However, San Clemente refused to go down without a fight. The Tritons managed to score a touchdown in the dying seconds of the game, bringing the score to 28-27. With the extra point attempt looming, it seemed the game was destined for overtime.
In a moment that will be remembered for years to come, Los Alamitos’ star linebacker Johnny Howze @h44wze made the play of the night. With just 17 seconds left on the clock, Howze burst through the line and blocked the potential game-tying extra point, preserving Los Alamitos’ slim lead and securing the win.
This victory improves Los Alamitos’ record to 5-4 overall, bouncing back from their recent 21-10 loss to Edison[1][3]. The win also gives them their first league victory, bringing their Alpha League record to 1-1. For San Clemente, this heartbreaking loss drops them to 4-5 on the season[2].
The thrilling contest between these two Orange County football powers lived up to expectations, providing fans with a memorable finish. Lenny Ibarra’s strong performance and Johnny Howze’s game-saving block will likely go down as some of the most exciting plays of the 2024 high school football season in Southern California.
Citations:
[1] https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/sports/story/2024-10-20/edison-claims-victory-over-los-alamitos-in-alpha-league-opener
[2] https://www.si.com/high-school/stats/california/football/games/4402857-san-clemente-vs-los-alamitos
[3] https://www.latimes.com/sports/highschool/story/2024-10-18/la-times-top-25-high-school-football-teams-fared-week-8
[4] https://telepeer.net/santa-ana-news/