GAME RECAP AND TOP PHOTOS: Palmer, Dons With A Strong Second Half To Advance To The State Title Game

By Justin Tatsuki Lee

Friday December 6, 2025

Game: Cathedral Catholic vs Los Alamitos

Palmer, Dons With A Strong Second Half To Advance To The State Title Game

Long Beach, CA — With a state championship berth on the line, Ray Fenton’s Los Alamitos Griffins and Sean Doyle’s Cathedral Catholic Dons squared off in front of more than 3,000 fans on a crisp Saturday night. The matchup featured two proud programs with rich postseason histories: Cathedral Catholic arrived as the San Diego Section Open Division champions after a gritty 20–16 win over Carlsbad, while Los Alamitos entered fresh off their CIF-SS Division 2 title performance against San Clemente. Both schools carried memories of state glory — Los Al last winning in 2002, Cathedral Catholic most recently in 2021 — and the stakes could not have been higher as the ball kicked off at 7:38 p.m.

What followed was a heavyweight exchange that opened with fireworks, swung violently in the third quarter, and ultimately ended with the Dons pulling away behind a relentless offensive surge and a three-touchdown showcase from Isaac Cook.

First Quarter — Trading Punches Early

Los Alamitos won the toss and elected to receive, setting the tone immediately. Starting from their own 25, quarterback Colin Creason (3) found Ashton Gogue (13) on third-and-7 for a chain-moving 10-yard grab. Moments later, Creason dropped a perfect 32-yard strike to Gogue in the front corner of the end zone, giving the Griffins a sharp 7–0 lead with 8:08 left in the quarter.

A botched Los Al kickoff set Cathedral Catholic up at their own 48, and the Dons wasted no time. Quarterback Brady Palmer (10) — a Minnesota commit — hit Honor Faalave (9) for 25 yards to enter the red zone. Faced with a fourth-and-4 at the Los Al 14, Faalave bulldozed through a tackler and then turned the corner for a physical 14-yard touchdown. Tied 7–7 with 4:58 left.

Los Alamitos responded with their ground attack. After nearly throwing a pick to Dons DB Kevin Clark, the Griffins leaned on Kamden Tillis (8) and Lenny Ibarra, both ripping off double-digit gains deep into Cathedral Catholic territory. Creason capped the march with a 2-yard keeper, restoring the lead at 14–7 with 2:18 remaining.

Cathedral Catholic’s next drive ran into chaos courtesy of defensive standout Jackson Renger (15) — first jarring the ball loose from Palmer on a sack, then chasing him down for another loss. The Dons punted, and Los Al took over to end the quarter.

End of Q1: Los Alamitos 14, Cathedral Catholic 7

Second Quarter — Dons Battle Back Before the Break

Los Alamitos opened the second with a massive 51-yard touchdown strike from Creason to Ibarra — but it was wiped out by a holding call. The Griffins stalled and punted.

Palmer and the Dons took over at their own 24, but momentum slipped when the quarterback tripped untouched on the turf, forcing a quick three-and-out.

Los Al regained excellent field position at the Dons’ 49 but couldn’t capitalize. Two near-interceptions by Cathedral Catholic were dropped, and a low Griffin punt returned the ball to the Dons’ 46.

Palmer seized the moment. He zipped a 28-yard strike to Joshua Faraimo, then found Isaac Cook (4) for 14 more. An offsides call pushed the ball to the Los Al 1½-yard line, and Faalave powered in for his second touchdown. 14–14 with 2:06 left.

The Griffins mounted a determined two-minute drill. Creason scrambled past midfield, only to see a penalty drag the drive back. Tillis ripped a 24-yard run to the Dons’ 9 with 11 seconds left. Los Al took two shots at the end zone — both narrowly incomplete to Beckham Hofland (84) — and a 27-yard field-goal try to end the half sailed wide right.

Halftime: Los Alamitos 14, Cathedral Catholic 14

Third Quarter — The Dons Take Over

Cathedral Catholic opened the second half with a haymaker. On the second play of the drive, Palmer uncorked a 56-yard bomb to Cook, who outran the secondary to give the Dons their first lead of the night:
21–14, 11:00 left in the third.

Los Alamitos’ next drive fizzled near midfield.

Back came the Dons. After a fourth-and-2 conversion near their own 26, they were pushed back by a holding call. Facing third-and-17, Palmer struck again — this time a 75-yard deep shot to Cook, his second long touchdown in as many drives, stunning the Griffins sideline.
28–14, 6:00 left in the third.

Los Al, now reeling, drove to the Dons’ 1-yard line after a pass interference and facemask call helped move the ball. On fourth-and-goal, Ibarra was stuffed by the Cathedral Catholic front — a defining stand in a game full of momentum swings.

The Dons began their next possession at their own 2, drew an offsides to gain breathing room, and rode Faalave out to the 40 as the quarter expired.

End of Q3: Cathedral Catholic 28, Los Alamitos 14

Fourth Quarter — Cathedral Catholic Slams the Door

Cathedral Catholic opened the final period controlling clock and space. A 33-yard touchdown by Cook was erased by a holding call, but the Dons stayed undeterred. Faalave churned out first downs, and with 6:25 left, he delivered what felt like the dagger — a 20-yard burst into the end zone to stretch the lead to 35–14.

Los Alamitos struck back quickly. Tillis burst through the line for a 47-yard touchdown run, trimming the deficit to 35–21 with 4:54 to play.

But Cathedral Catholic sealed it with one more emphatic blow — Palmer hitting Cook for his third touchdown of the night, capping a remarkable performance and an unstoppable second-half surge.

Final: Cathedral Catholic 42, Los Alamitos 21

Cathedral Catholic Moves On

For head coach Sean Doyle, it marked his fourth regional bowl victory — and one of the most complete second-half efforts of his long career. Cathedral Catholic now advances to Saddleback College next weekend, where they will compete for what would be the third state championship under Doyle’s leadership.

Los Alamitos, meanwhile, closes a memorable postseason run just one win short of returning to the state stage for the first time since 2002.

The Dons move on. The Griffins head home. And another December classic enters the California playoff archives.