Chargers gain measure of revenge

One year after giving up a school-record 64 points in a 30-point

defeat at Long Beach Wilson High, the Edison defense redeemed itself

Thursday with a dominating performance, and this time, the Chargers

cruised to a 35-12 nonleague victory over the visiting Bruins in their

1999 home opener at Huntington Beach High’s Sheue Field.

Shades of last year’s 64-34 defeat haunted the Chargers early on

Thursday, as Wilson took just two plays on its first possession of the

night to take a 6-0 lead.

But that was it for the Bruins, who fell to 1-3. From that point on,

Edison’s defense took over and dictated the rest of the game.

The Chargers relentless performance on defense turned into a feeding

frenzy as the stop unit came up with six turnovers and a blocked punt,

turning four of those opportunities into scores.

Bruins quarterback David Battle, who chewed up the Chargers a year

ago, never figured into this one.

Battle, a 5-foot-8, 180 senior, was responsible for four of the

turnovers. He had minus-eight yards rushing and was sacked twice, lost

two fumbles, and completed just four of 10 passes for 44 yards, with two

interceptions.

‘Our defense definitely stepped it up tonight,’ Edison Coach Dave

White said. ‘Our offense can be electrifying and Darryl Poston is a great

running back, but our defense really starred tonight. They had a great

game against a Wilson team that has a lot of speed.’

After Wilson jumped out to its 6-0 lead on LeAndre Atkins touchdown

run, Edison finally got its offense in gear late in the opening period to

take a 7-6 lead.

Poston, a junior back, was the workhorse during a 79-yard march as he

rushed for 51 yards on seven carries during a 10-play drive. But it was

quarterback Richard Schwartz’s six-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open

Brendon Cornell in the back of the end zone that put the Chargers on the

board.

Travis Wilson tacked on the point after, and Edison had the lead for

good with 1:24 left in the quarter.

After that, the Edison defense took over:

* Two plays following the Schwartz-to-Cornell scoring pass, Kyle

McCarter recovered a fumble at the Wilson 30-yard line, and on the first

play of the second quarter, Poston put a spin move on a Bruin defender

and scored from 21 yards out.

* Midway through the second quarter, lineman Jeremy Jimenez

recovered a Battle fumble at the Wilson 34, and five plays later, Poston

reached the end zone on a one-yard run.

* McCarter came up with his second fumble recovery of the half on

Wilson’s next possession, setting up the Chargers at the Bruin 42. Poston

turned a screen pass from Schwartz into a 28-yard gain, and scored three

plays later on a seven-yard run to put Edison up, 28-6, at the half.

* Although Cornell intercepted Battle on the second play of the

second half and Steve Greyshock recovered a Battle fumble on the Bruins’

next possession - both deep in Wilson territory, Edison failed to convert

either scoring opportunity. The Chargers did, however, take advantage

when Brandon Cox broke through to block a punt on Wilson’s third

possession of the half, which the Chargers recovered at the Bruin 35.

Seven plays later, Poston scored his fourth touchdown of the

night, this one from three yards out, and Wilson’s kick gave the Chargers

a commanding 35-6 lead with 1:02 left in the third quarter.

John Duffy also figured in Edison’s defensive assault as he

intercepted Battle just before the end of the quarter, although the

Chargers didn’t score following the turnover.

Poston, the county’s top rusher, finished with 182 yards on 29

carries, but he suffered an ankle injury to his left leg on carry No. 29

and left the field.

He had ice taped to his ankle after the game, but, according to

White, Poston appears to be OK.

White didn’t have time to immediately enjoy the victory, however, as

he tended to another injured player, Jimmy Thorson.

The all-purpose player suffered a leg injury on a punt return in the

final minute of the game, and had to be helped off the field.

The extent of Thorson’s injury was not known.

Physicians attended to Thorson, who was sitting upright on a golf

cart, on the sideline after the game.

‘That could turn out to be a big blow for us, but hopefully, that

isn’t the case,’ White said of Thorson’s injury.

‘Although I was happy with our defensive effort, I thought we made

to many mistakes in the penalty department to feel completely satisfied.

We need to cut down on them (penalties) if we hope to continue to win.

But hey, we’re 4-0 and just beat a team that destroyed us last year, so,

I guess I’ll be happy with this victory.’