Long Pass Play Lifts La Quinta Over Santiago

GARDEN GROVE — La Quinta didn’t let its homecoming fans down Friday night, storming back to win a 16-14 Garden Grove League thriller over visiting Santiago at Bolsa Grande High.

La Quinta led, 3-0, at halftime and pushed the lead to 10-0 when Watson Visuwan broke through the middle for a 66-yard touchdown run.

Santiago bounced right back with its own score less than two minutes later when quarterback Christian Cortez hit Juan Tinoco with a 43-yard touchdown pass.

The Cortez-Tinoco combination worked again early in the fourth quarter with a seven-yard pass to put Santiago ahead, 12-10. The same duo connected on a two-point conversion pass play to push the lead to 14-10.

After an exchange of punts, La Quinta took over on its own 25-yard line with 1 minute 42 seconds left in the game. La Quinta quarterback Jason Gond-Ringer directed the winning drive with a 15-yard pass to Visuwan. Two plays later, Gond-Ringer hit receiver Lane Escovedo with a 60-yard touchdown pass to put La Quinta ahead, 16-14.

“The play was designed as two quick slants and go,” said Gond-Ringer. “The line gave me time all night, and fortunately on this one I was able to connect.”

Santiago gave the home crowd a late scare when it had a second-and-eight on La Quinta’s 32 with 34 seconds left, but a quarterback sack by Aztec linebacker Pat Wilson ended the threat.