Griffin Legacy
4 NEW COACHES
Los Alamitos moved into the Irvine League in 1970 and Hixson rushed for a then school record 1,074 yards as Los Al recorded the first of two successive 5-4 seasons.
After a tough 5-3-1 season in 1972, the 1973 Griffins posted an excellent 7-2 record, winning its first six games before dropping a touch 21-14 match to #2 ranked Santa Ana Valley on a touchdown in the final minute. Five players were named to various all-county teams, led by running back Louis Ortiz who scored a then-school record 98 points and rushed for 833 yards to lead the Griffins. Others earning all OC post-season honors were wide receiver Brian Ticehurst (34 receptions), defensive back Greg Pereboom, and defensive linemen John Allison and Jim Main.
1 LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP
Los Al, Fountain Valley and Edison moved into the powerful Sunset League in 1974, with Jim Rodarte replacing Doretti at the helm. Jim Main, who would go on to become a star offensive lineman at UCLA, was named the Santa Ana Register’s Orange County Lineman of the Year (repeating as all-county defensive lineman) and anchored an offensive line which helped 5-9. 165 pound junior running back Dave Sprague rush for a new school record and county-leading 1,101 yards (123.3 per game). Despite winning the statistical battle in every single game, fourth-quarter woes plagued the Griffins, who went 1-5-1 in the Sunset League.
1976 saw Los Al move into the Empire League, and they responded with an impressive 8-2 record to win their first league championship in nine years. Unfortunately, the Griffins were knocked out of the playoffs in the first round. Option quarterback Bruce Heiser and tailback Steve Fogel led an offense that in a 27-14 win over Marina had 480 yards rushing and not one yard passing. Kicker Rick Sims finished a career which saw him convert 54 of 55 extra point kicks over three seasons.
SECOND TRIP TO THE CIF FINALS
The 1977 Griffins went 11-2, behind a great defense led by all-CIF-ers, linebacker Rick Senteno and defensive back Terry French (eight interceptions), and sophomore running back Mitch Olson, who rushed for 1,340 yards. Los Al reached the CIF finals at Anaheim Stadium but lost to Villa Park, 20-7.
In 1978, Gary Swanson took over the head coach reins, and led Los Al to a 6-3-1 record as Olson put together his second straight 1,000 yard season.
The 1979 Griffin seniors saw their third head coach in three years. But it would be the last change to date in that position as John Barnes took over the reins of the Griffin program. Los Al started slowly, losing its first three games, but went suffered only one loss in league play, a setback to Loara, the eventual CIF Champions.
The professional era (2008 – 2013)
On November 12, 1892, when William “Pudge” Heffelfinger was paid $500 to play a game for the Allegheny Athletic Association in a match against the Pittsburgh Athletic Club. This is the first recorded instance of a player being paid to participate in a game of American football, although many athletic clubs in the 1880s offered indirect benefits, such as helping players attain employment, giving out trophies or watches.
From its very first game in 1967, with a team of only sophomores, the Los Alamitos Griffins have established a tradition of hard work, a quest for excellence, and pride in one of the top high school Football programs in Orange County, South California and even the nation.
FIRST EVER CIF FOOTBALL PLAYOFF GAME AND WIN
The Los Al Griffins cinched their first ever CIF football playoff win at their first ever playoff game on November 21, 1969 against Alta Loma. View some of the game film below.
Under Frank Doretti, who would guide the Griffins through 1973 (and continue long after that as defensive coordinator) the Griffins played that first year in the Freeway League, posting an impressive 4-4-1 against a mixed bag of Varsity, reserve and sophomore teams. In that first year, the Griffins boasted its first all-county player in 5-7, 165 pound running back Anthony “JuJu” Predesik.
Los Al’s first graduating class, playing in the 1969 football season, compiled an 11-1 record, winning the Orange league and reaching the CIF 2A Finals where they unfortunately lost to Barstow on a cold (38°) December night. A transfer quarterback from Oklahoma, Vic Pereboom, earned Orange League MVP honors, throwing numerous long passes to speedy all-league receivers Jeff Ticehurst and Bob Cameron.
Predesik was the leading rusher in the county until sidelined by a late-season injury, but junior Mike Hixson stepped in to rush for 204 yards against Sonora in a showdown of league unbeatens. Hixson had another 200 yard game in a semi-final win over Riverside Poly.
Evolution of the game (2002 – 2008)
The introduction of the snap resulted in unexpected consequences. Prior to the snap, the strategy had been to punt if a scrum resulted in bad field position. However, a group of Princeton players realized that, as the snap was uncontested, they now could hold the ball indefinitely to prevent their opponent from scoring. In 1881, both teams in a game between Yale-Princeton used this strategy to maintain their undefeated records.
2015 Senior World Championship
American football evolved in the United States, originating from the sports of association football and rugby football. The first game of American football was played on November 6, 1869, between two college teams, Rutgers and Princeton, under rules based on the association football rules of the time. During the latter half of the 1870s, colleges playing association
football switched to the Rugby Union code, which allowed carrying the ball. A set of rule changes drawn up from 1880 onward by Walter Camp, the “Father of American Football”, established the snap, eleven-player teams, and the concept of downs; later rule changes legalized the forward pass, created the neutral zone, and specified the size and shape of the football.
2016
Canada participates in the first Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Manitoba
American football as a whole is the most popular sport in the United States; professional football and college football are the most popular forms of the game, with the other major levels being high school and youth football. As of 2012, nearly 1.1 million high school athletes and 70,000 college athletes play the sport in the United States annually.
2013
The Canadian Men’s National Team is named the Team of the Year
The term "football" was officially established in the rulebook for the 1876 college football season, when the sport first shifted from soccer-style rules to rugby-style rules; although it could easily have been called "rugby" at this point, Harvard, one of the primary proponents of the rugby-style game.
2008
Canada successfully hosts the Women’s World Championship in Toronto, Ontario
In the United States, American football is referred to as "football. In English-speaking countries where other codes of football are popular, such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, the terms "gridiron" or "American football" are favored instead.
2002
The Canadian Men’s National Team is named the Team of the Year
What is considered to be the first American football game was played on November 6, 1869 between Rutgers and Princeton, two college teams. The game was played between two teams of 25 players each and used a round ball that could not be picked up or carried.