Historic Night for Los Alamitos: CIF-SS Champions Once Again, Score 33-20 (2025)

San Clemente – Thalassa Stadium (SCHS)

The Los Alamitos football team won its fifth CIF-SS championship in program history, beating San Clemente 33-20 on Saturday at Thalassa Stadium at San Clemente High in the CIF-SS Division 2 finals.

“Unbelievable group of kids. All year long this is nothing new to us to come back down 10. The kids just keep believing in themselves, they just keep playing hard, they play the next play and the score ends up in our favor,” Griffins coach Ray Fenton said.

The start to the game was not ideal for the Griffins, as they went three and out on their opening drive and eventually saw the Tritons score a touchdown on their first drive courtesy of Colin Granite. On its next drive, Los Alamitos had a promising drive going, getting into the red zone, but Jaxson Rex of San Clemente knocked the ball loose and Thomas Alexander recovered.

After Los Alamitos forced San Clemente to punt, Rex picked off Colin Creason on the first play of the drive, putting his team in a great position to extend the lead. Despite the Tritons getting all the way down the Los Alamitos three-yard line, the Griffins’ defense held the Tritons to a field goal.

Trailing 10-0 after the opening quarter, Los Alamitos had been in the same position against Murrieta Valley the previous week. The Griffins got all the way down the San Clemente 12-yard line, but the drive stalled as they settled for a field goal.

San Clemente’s next drive saw Rex, who also plays on offense, make big catches to help keep the drive going. Eventually, Granite ran it in, getting an assist from his offensive line to get into the endzone, making the score 17-3.

Knowing it couldn’t be down by multiple scores going into halftime, the Griffins put together a touchdown drive that lasted less than two minutes, as Camden Tillis ran it in from 30 yards out. They then forced the Tritons to punt and drove down the field again in pursuit of a touchdown.

Los Alamitos eventually got the touchdown late in the quarter as Creason hit Beckham Hofland in the endzone for a 24-yard touchdown catch. After Hofland, who was celebrating his 18th birthday, booted in the extra point, the two teams went into halftime tied 17-17.

“At halftime we’re just like, ‘hey guys it’s tied, this is a good deal for us. It’s just a testament and work ethic of these kids,” Fenton said. 

San Clemente’s first drive of the second half looked to be bad news for Los Alamitos, as it got down to the opponent’s seven yard line. But Johnny Howze got a sack for a loss of 14, eventually forcing the Tritons to settle for a field goal.

The Griffins got all the way down to the red zone and appeared determined to take their first lead, but Cade Hogan knocked the ball out from Lenny Ibarra only for it to be scooped up by Griffins offensive lineman Luke Wehner for the score.

On San Clemente’s next drive, Preston Beck lost control of the ball on the first play of the drive and it was recovered by Hunter Eligon, giving the ball back to Los Alamitos. Tillis eventually made the Tritons pay, as he ran it in for his second score, putting the Griffins up 30-20 after the extra point was missed.

The rest of the way saw Los Alamitos’ defense suffocate San Clemente’s offense, as it forced two turnovers courtesy of Ibarra and Koa Marasco picking off Beck. In addition players such as Jackson Renger and Logan Moore either  got to Beck or pressured him to make errant throws.

Eventually, the clock struck zero and Los Alamitos stormed the field knowing it avenged its earlier loss to San Clemente, having lost 27-9 in week nine in Alpha League play. This time, the Griffins were the ones that were all smiles, as Fenton had won his second CIF championship as a head coach after winning one with Cypress back in 2007.

Los Alamitos’ season continues next week in the CIF SoCal Regional playoffs when it finds out who it plays on Sunday afternoon.