Sports
Siemens and Luatua Deal Out the Points in Vegas
Exclusive!
Las Vegas~After winning its first two games, the La Mirada boys basketball team lost this evening, bowing to Coronado in the third round, 56-55 in a heart-break thriller, at the 2009 Prep Championships in Las Vegas.
Josh Siemens had 15 points and Isaac Luatua added 13 in the frustruating defeat.
Luatua, who helped lead La Mirada to a CIF Football Championship (on both sides of the ball), just two weeks ago, has become a major player in the Mats basketball plans. The 6' 3" 290 lb. junior uses his wide body and soft shooting touch to his advantage.
Suburban League Football 2009 Review; 2010 Preview
Suburban League Playoff Finals/Results
La Mirada 49 Garden Grove 27: Well the game started off as bad as it could for the Matadores, because they couldn’t find a way early to stop the high powered offense of 
Garden Grove that was led by QB Sean Young. That was, until Young was put out of the game for good. Then, Garden Grove seemed to have no contingency for Young getting hurt, and where unable to find any offense to keep their lead. The Matadores offense got going behind their massive offensive line and the hard running of running backs JT Torres, and Max Gama. The Matadores defense stepped up, and the offense rolled off 42 unanswered points. It was not until garbage time that Garden Grove scored another TD. They fought valiantly as they could, and did a great job honoring the memory of Kevin Telles who passed away earlier this season. The Matadore offensive line has done a great job this year, paving the way for their running game.
Next Season Preview
Artesia: 1-9 Overall (League 1-5)
The Pioneers where rocked by turmoil, and injuries this season and they where never able to recover. They will only return 19 players next season and they lose their best players on defense in MLB T.J Taimutuia, and OLB Adam Leutele. They also lose both QB’s that ran the team this season. They did not field a junior varsity team this year, and they also where unable to field more than 20 kids on the freshman team. They are going to struggle mightily.
Key Losses: QB Anthony Johnson, TB David Lasisi, LB T.J Taimutuia, Adam Leutele, ATH Montez Hunter, WR/CB Travon Payne.
Key Returners: While several players played varsity, none of them look to be major contributors next season.
Congratulations to the La Mirada Matadores From the La Mirada Blog
Argonauts Lose Their First Game
Costa Mesa~Another exciting game-except this time it was for all the marbles.
La Mirada High School won it's second CIF football championship in school history tonight, 49-27 over Garden Grove.
The Matadores got out to an early 7-0 lead after they blocked a punt on Garden Groves first possession; and shortly thereafter, punched it in.
However, things quickly changed, as the Argonauts rattled off 21 straight points to take a 21-7 lead.
The season-long, brutal, hard-hitting defensive ways of the Matadores continued as RJ Lujan knocked Grove superstar quarterback Sean Young out of the game and into the hospital.
La Mirada scored before the half making the score 21-14.
With Young out of the game, the La Mirada defense smelled blood and pounced like a wild animal on its victim. The Garden Grove team was not the same without its senior quarterback as it was La Mirada's turn to rattle off 42 straight points of its own-to take a commanding 49-22 lead.
Garden Grove, trying to cap an emotional, perfect season , added a touchdown on a very nice catch in the fourth quarter, but the game was already over.
Final score: La Mirada 49 Garden Grove 27
Suburban League/Southern Division Semifinal Recap; Final Preview
Suburban League Semifinal Recap:
Semifinal Recap: WOW!!!!! I was at a loss for words at the way that this weekend's games went; especially when it seemed that the Matadores had lost their game. Then, the Lancers couldn't seem to keep from shooting themselves in the foot. Well, sad to say, no district final, but this week, let's get everyone out to see our hometown Matadores go after a CIF Championship!
Semifinal Results:
La Mirada 27 Laguna Hills 24 (OT): This game was tremendous. It had plenty of moments when you felt one team or the other was going to WIN. Then, the game was over and a 
team's season had ended. Those who where sitting in Goodman Stadium Friday night, all hoped for a miracle, In overtime, Laguna Hills drove to the five yard line in three plays, down by three. Then, as if lightning had struck, all of the prayers of the Matadores players, coaches, cheerleaders, fans, and everyone wearing blue and gold were answered, as TB Matt Martindale fumbled the ball and alertly, senior DE RJ Lujan fell on the ball. The sound that erupted from the crowd was deafening as players and coaches stormed the field. How the Matadores ended up in overtime is an amazing story in its own.
La Mirada Wins on Game Ending Fumble, 27-24; Advances to CIF Final For the First Time Since 2001
La Mirada~La Mirada beat Laguna Hills tonight 27-24 in a semifinal contest, sending the Matadores to the final for the first time since 1992.
When Ralph Gramajo intercepted a Laguna Hills pass midway through the third quarter, it seemed La Mirada was on its way to a victory, leading 24-10.
However, Laguna came back, scoring two touchdowns within a span of around three minutes, including a recovered on-side kick, tying the score at 27 and sending into overtime.
The La Mirada defense, seemed dazed, tired, confused, like a prize fighter up against the ropes in the last rounds.
1st Annual La Mirada Blog All-Suburban League Football Team
So this is my version of the Suburban League All-Team. I have only a first team and I think it is a well represented one. I believe what a player does on the field merits their being on this team, not what their team did. The best players are represented on this team. They all play a multitude of positions, but they made this team at the spot I thought they would be their best at.
Matadore Hoopsters Start a New Quest
La Mirada~The La Mirada Boys Basketball squad opens the regular season tonight in a non-league contest vs. Tustin High at Matadore Gym.
The Mats are coming off a very succesful campaign in which they won the Suburban League title and advanced to the CIF Southern Division quarterfinals.
This will be the first game the Matadores are playing in their totally refurbished gymnasium. Game time is 7:00 p.m.
Suburban League Quarterfinal Recap: Semifinal Preview
Suburban League Quarterfinal Recap:
Man, who would have thought at this point in the playoffs, that the La Mirada Matadore and the Norwalk Lancer defenses would be so dominant. We all knew they could score points, and they have been doing just that. The manner in which they are scoring is remarkable. The Matadores have been getting a balanced attack from their offense, and their special teams have been great. The Lancers have seen one of their 1,000 yard rushers get dinged up in the playoffs but they have seen another one of their backs come up big.
Quarterfinal Results:
La Mirada 40 Garden Grove Santiago 0: On the first play of offense for the Matadores they saw RB JT Torres go 60 yards to the end zone. He has come up big for them in the playoffs becoming the steady force for them in the running game. He had three TD's in the game and proved to be a force that was unable to be stopped. QB Daniel Poncedeleon threw a 22 yard jump-ball to WR Julian Matta and he and out muscled the Cavaliers defender and came down with the TD. The defense for the Matadores was not to be outdone as Junior Aaryn Bouzos picked off Cavalier QB Chris Ortega and went 30 yards to the house untouched. In the post-season through two games, the Matadores defense which is led my RJ Lujan, Aaryn Bouzos, Shane Blood, and JT Torres has only given up only three points. They have been battle tested this season.
Suburban League Playoffs Round 1 Review; Quarterfinal Preview
Round 1 Review
This week proved that some teams just don't belong in the post season, and others proved that they are here to stay. I look for the semifinals to be as follows: La Mirada vs. Laguna Hills, and on the other side of the bracket, Garden Grove vs. Norwalk. These teams have been near the top of the brackets all season for a reason, and each team can state its case to be the Division champion.
Round 1 Results
Norwalk 63 Rancho Alamitos 8: Talk about an absolute thrashing. This one, from the opening whistle, was not even close. The Lancers offense just ran over any of the visiting Vaqueros in their way. The Vaqueros defense looked helpless as Norwalk's backfield was just too much for them to stop. The wild- card all season and in my opinion the best of the bunch is Junior Elijhaa Penny who uses every bit of his 6'2'' 245 lbs frame when he is running over defenders. He led all Lancer running backs with over 160 yards and two TDs. The kid is deceptively fast and is going to be one of the keys to helping Norwalk continue their run to the RING. The Lancers rushing attack is steady by three other players-Junior Billy 
Moore and Seniors Daveon Edwards and Adrian Goznales who is the smallest of all the running backs, but he runs just as hard as the others.
La Mirada 44 Santa Ana 3: The Matadores started slow, but they closed with blazing fashion, as they manhandled the Saints all night. The Saints looked to be in control after they went ahead 3-0 early in the second, but the Mats answered back with a 97-yard kickoff return by Aaryn Bouzos. After that it was all Matadores. The theme this season for the Mats has been balance, and they certainly have been adding to it lately; where they are led on the ground by a running back-by-committee with JT Torres, Max Gama, and Matt Haltom. All are getting carries, and each of the backs brings something different to the table. They are definitely not an easy team to prepare for. Their passing game is lethally accurate and it is executed very well by QB Daniel Poncedeleon. They are led by receivers Ralph Gramajo, Julian Matta, and TE Keith Coty.
La Mirada on the Road Friday; May Host Semi’s
La Mirada High School Football will play on the road this Friday against Santiago High; the game will be played at Garden Grove High beginning at 7:00 p.m.
Also, La Mirada won the latest coin-flip, meaning they will host the next game (semi-final), if they are fortunate enough to win.
Coach Ollie Lynch will guest on the "Tony Aiello Show" on November 23rd, beginning at 6:00 p.m PT. to talk about the win against Santa Ana and the pending game versus Santiago.
Check out this link to a story about last Friday's victory over Santa Ana from Thaindian News; and this link to the OC Register with bloggers talking Southern Division football.
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