High School Football: Edison moves past first round

Even in his final year coaching football at Edison High, Dave White can still be superstitious.

The Chargers decided to open the CIF Southern Section Division 3 playoffs at Cap Sheue Field, instead of Orange Coast College, where Edison has played all of its home postseason games in seven of the last eight years it made the playoffs. The last time Edison played a playoff contest at Huntington Beach High was nine years ago.

The reason why White wanted the home game to be at Cap Sheue Field was that he didn’t want his 31-year coaching career to end as the Chargers’ season has the last two years at OCC, with Edison exiting the playoffs in the first round.

White and the Chargers easily got through their opener against Newbury Park, as quarterback Griffin O’Connor threw for four touchdowns and ran for three touchdowns in a 49-24 rout on Friday.

After No. 2-seeded Edison avoided the one-and-done, White learned the Chargers would be returning to OCC next week. He wasn’t too happy when Rich Boyce, the school’s athletic director, informed White that a band competition had reserved Cap Sheue Field.

“We kind of feel comfortable here and we’ve played well here. We like it here,” White said of Cap Sheue Field. “When you got 3,000 people [at a game], Orange Coast looks kind of empty.”

LeBard Stadium at OCC might get more fans next week. Two Orange County teams are meeting in the quarterfinals, the Chargers (10-1) are playing host to Buena Park (10-1). The Coyotes defeated San Juan Hills, 20-7, in the first round.

Edison and Buena Park faced each other last year during nonleague play, and the Chargers shut the Coyotes out, 38-0.

“They’re better this year,” White said of the Coyotes, who reached the Southwest Division semifinals a year ago. “[They have] a bunch of athletes. It gets harder as you go.”

Edison got through a formidable opponent in Newbury Park (7-4). Even though the Panthers played without standout quarterback Cameron Rising, the junior committed to Oklahoma missed his third straight game with a shoulder injury, they stayed in the game in the first half.

It was Edison’s junior signal caller leading the way. O’Connor completed 18 of 37 passes for 245 yards, and rushed seven times for 40 yards. He had a hand in each of the Chargers’ seven touchdowns.

Things didn’t start well for O’Connor, though.

The game’s first play from scrimmage did not go as planned for Edison. The snap sailed over O’Connor head, and he was able to pick the ball up on the bounce. As he tried to throw the ball away to the right, defensive back Mateen Johnson dove to make an interception inside Edison’s 20-yard line.

Newbury Park took advantage of the rare miscue by O’Connor. The pick marked O’Connor’s first interception since the fourth game of the season. The turnover led to Josh Madison’s two-yard touchdown run to put the Panthers up 2½ minutes into the game.

The Chargers responded in a hurry, taking them 44 seconds to tie things up at 7-7.

Shawn Colamonico played a big role, returning the ensuing kickoff 36 yards, and at the 37, the Panthers brought him down by pulling on his face mask. The 15-yard penalty put Edison on the opponent’s 48. Griffin misfired on first down, but on his next two throws, he found wide receiver David Atencio for a 27-yard pass, and then Colamonico for a 21-yard touchdown pass. The coverage was tight on Colamonico in the end zone, and O’Connor needled the ball in.

O’Connor bounced back after his turnover. He threw two more first-half touchdowns. The second one came after Edison defensive back EJ Ginnis picked off a Braden Handy pass, returning it 25 yards to Newbury Park’s 39.

O’Connor and Colamonico (six receptions for 92 yards) hooked up for a four-yard touchdown, helping give Edison its first lead at 14-7 with less than two minutes left in the opening quarter.

Two minutes into the second quarter, O’Connor’s screen pass to running back Jack Carmichael (11 carries for 109 yards) went for an eight-yard touchdown. The Chargers took a 21-7 lead, only to see the Panthers score 10 straight points during a two-minute stretch to cut the deficit to 21-17.

Newbury Park tried to keep another drive alive, after Johnson intercepted O’Connor for a second time with 4:04 left in the first half. On fourth-and-12 on Edison’s 47, the Panthers tried a fake punt, and Colamonico stopped it, dropping Madison for a seven-yard loss.

The turnover on downs resulted in a five-play, 46-yard scoring drive for Edison. O’Connor capped it with a one-yard keeper, allowing the Chargers to extend their lead to 28-17 with 1:51 remaining before halftime.

There was enough time for the Panthers to trim the lead. They covered 80 yards in 10 plays, taking them 1:38 to get inside Edison’s one. Newbury Park called its final timeout in the first half with four seconds to go.

The Panthers went to Madison on the third-and-goal situation. The junior had been successful in his previous two short-yardage opportunities, converting the first for a touchdown on third-and-goal and the second for a first down on fourth-and-one on Edison’s 41.

Madison failed to get into the end zone. Edison made a goal-line stand, stuffing Madison as time expired.

“That was big. They score there and they’re down four or three points,” White said. “There’s no way they’re the 15th best team in this division, but I’m glad we got them over with.”

CIF Southern Section Division 3

First round

Edison 49, Newbury Park 24

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Newbury Park 7 – 10 – 0 – 7 — 24

Edison 14 – 14 – 7 – 14 — 49

FIRST QUARTER

NP – Madison 2 run (Longhetto kick), 9:37.

E – Colamonico 21 pass from O’Connor (Morrell kick), 8:53.

E – Colamonico 4 pass from O’Connor (Morrell kick), 1:48.

SECOND QUARTER

E – J. Carmichael 8 pass from O’Connor (Morrell kick), 10:14.

NP – Longhetto 28 FG, 6:13.

NP – Matlock 37 run (Longhetto kick), 4:18.

E – O’Connor 1 run (Morrell kick), 1:51.

THIRD QUARTER

E – Ginnis 15 pass from O’Connor (Morrell kick), 7:57.

FOURTH QUARTER

E – O’Connor 4 run (Morrell kick), 10:53.

E – O’Connor 1 run (Morrell kick), 8:57.

NP – Albaeck 68 pass from Handy (Longhetto kick), 4:30.

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

NP – Matlock, 17-77, 1 TD.

E – J. Carmichael, 11-109.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

NP – Handy, 20-41-2, 222, 1 TD.

E – O’Connor, 18-37-2, 245, 4 TDs.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

NP – Albaeck, 9-138, 1 TD.

E – Colamonico, 6-92, 2 TDs.