Los Alamitos Beats Loyola in Double Overtime, 30-23

Loyola High football players milled gleefully about the sideline, their victory over Los Alamitos seemingly in hand as Griffin kicker Chris Kluwe lined up for a 60-yard, last-second field goal that could send the game into overtime.

“They have got to be kidding themselves!” one Cub exclaimed. “Who is this guy?”

Now Loyola knows.

Kluwe’s 60-yarder cleared the crossbar--barely--and propelled Los Alamitos to a 30-23 double-overtime victory over the Cubs Friday night in the Southern Section Division I quarterfinals before about 6,500 at Glendale High.

Los Alamitos quarterback Mike Sanford’s perfect 25-yard pass to Tony Holder in the right corner of the end zone gave the Griffins the decisive score in the second overtime.

For the second consecutive season the Griffins (11-1) advanced to the semifinals, where they will meet Long Beach Poly, a 21-7 winner Friday night over Fontana A.B. Miller.

Kluwe, who has committed to UCLA, said he knew his kick was good as soon as it left his foot.

“I was thinking I’ve just got to make it,” said Kluwe, who also kicked field goals of 47 and 28 yards and had two others blocked. “Mainly I wanted to get my foot into it and not have it blocked.”