ORANGE COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL : Roundup : Rancho Alamitos Outlasts Costa Mesa

Rancho Alamitos High School tailback Sean Cheatham had a hand in four touchdowns Thursday night to lead the Vaqueros to a 30-22 victory over Costa Mesa in a nonleague game at Bolsa Grande High.

The victory improved Rancho Alamitos’ record to 3-0, its best start in five years. Costa Mesa dropped to 1-2.

Cheatham, a 5-foot 11-inch senior, rushed for 219 yards on 27 carries and scored 2 touchdowns on runs of 1 and 66 yards. On defense, he intercepted a pass and returned it 98 yards for a score that put the Vaqueros up, 24-8, early in the fourth quarter.

Cheatham connected with Jason Sweet on a 30-yard touchdown option pass that gave the Vaqueros a 16-0 halftime advantage.

Rich Schones, Costa Mesa quarterback, was 10 of 23 for 219 yards and 1 touchdown, but threw 4 interceptions. Mustang running back Terry Bryant rushed for 119 yards in 27 carries. Costa Mesa outgained Rancho, 383-275.

--BILL ROBERTSON

Sacramento Johnson 21, Troy 7--Kyron Vandell scored three touchdowns and rushed for 143 yards in 10 carries to lead Johnson (1-2) over Troy (0-3) at Fullerton District Stadium in front of 500.

Vandell scored on the second play of the game on a 53-yard run. He scored again on 62-yard sprint on Johnson’s second play of the second half. The touchdown gave Johnson a 14-0 lead.

Troy drove 80 yards in just under seven minutes in the third quarter for its only score. The drive was capped by a five-yard pass from Sean Scanlon to Clint Davis with 1:22 left in the period.

Vandell had a nine-yard run for a touchdown to give Johnson a 21-7 lead midway though the fourth quarter.

San Clemente 20, Laguna Hills 10--Junior running back Kevin Harrison scored three touchdowns to lead the Tritons (2-1) over the Hawks (0-3) before 500 fans at Mission Viejo High School.

Harrison scored in the first quarter on a one-yard run and Tino Perone kicked the extra point to give San Clemente a 7-0 lead.

Brian Fleming kicked a 26-yard field goal for Laguna Hills in the second quarter to cut the lead to 7-3. San Clemente’s Doug Dill threw a 50-yard touchdown pass and Adam Rongey kicked the extra point to give San Clemente a 14-3 lead in the third quarter.

Junior quarterback Mike Helm threw a 28-yard pass for a touchdown to Rob Milo to cut the lead to 14-10 in the third period. Harrison scored on a one-yard run with 3:25 left in the game to give San Clemente its final margin.