Edison sends Marina out of Sunset League with lopsided loss

Reporting from Westminster —  The Edison High football team could not have asked for a better end to Sunset League play on Friday, with the postseason lurking just around the corner.

In a game that entered blowout territory midway through the first quarter, the Chargers clinched a CIF Southern Section Division 2 playoff berth with a 51-7 rout of host Marina High at Westminster High.

Edison quarterback Griffin O’Connor delivered a stellar performance. He threw an Edison single-game record six touchdowns, and completed 13 of 18 passes for 220 yards. O’Connor and four other Edison quarterbacks had held the previous record of five touchdown passes in a game.

The Chargers (7-3, 4-1 in league), ranked No. 10 in Division 2, scored on each of their first seven possessions with O’Connor under center. They drove for six touchdowns and a field goal before coach Jeff Grady began to pull his impact players up 51-0 late in the first half.

While O’Connor’s latest offensive outburst headlined the season finale, there was ample credit to be shared on both sides of the ball.

“Griffin has played really well these past couple weeks, but those around him have played well, too,” Grady said. “They’ve been helping him out. It’s not one man, it’s a team effort, but he’s playing well.”

The Edison defense forced four turnovers, hauling in three interceptions, to go along with a strip-sack fumble forced by Hunter Griggs that was returned 15 yards for a score by Kele Cooper. The Marina offense was never able to gain momentum because of the Chargers’ stifling defensive effort, recording just one first down in the first half and failing to advance past the 30-yard line until the third quarter.

Offensively, seniors David Atencio and Brandon Moradian each recorded a pair of touchdown catches for the Chargers. Moradian finished the night with three receptions and a game-high 77 yards.

Atencio found the end zone on each of his two receptions, compiling 63 yards and claiming sole possession of Edison’s career receptions record in the process. He enters the postseason with 127 career receptions in his illustrious high school career.

The two-way star would also return an interception for a touchdown and a punt for a touchdown, both of which were called back due to blocks in the back during the returns.

“He’s always the go-to guy,” O’Connor said of Atencio, who has 14 touchdown receptions on the season. “We joke around that we’re like a one-two punch. He’s the guy that will always get open, the guy I can always rely on. He’s a playmaker. I’m excited for the games to come with him. He’s a really good player, and I’m thankful he’s on our team.”

The Chargers finished second in league, a game back of Los Alamitos.

Marina’s loss signaled the 12th time in the past 13 seasons that the Vikings went winless in league play, a disappointing end to their 54-year Sunset League tenure. The Vikings (3-7, 0-5) will look for a fresh start next season in the Golden West League.

“We’re Division 12, going against Division 2 teams, and sometimes reality is out there,” Marina coach Jeff Turley said. “It’s going to be refreshing to get a chance to play against teams that are also Division 11 and 12, and be in a competitive league like it’s going to be.”

Although the night was an overall disappointment for the Vikings, the team was able to respond in the second half and outscore Edison 7-0 over the course of the final two quarters — albeit with the Chargers’ primary impact players on the sideline.

Marina’s lone touchdown came on a 42-yard touchdown pass from Ian Green to Nathan Pendleton midway through the fourth quarter, the undoubted highlight from the team’s senior night.

As Marina prepares for the next chapter in its program’s history, Edison looks to replicate last year’s postseason success when it was crowned the Division 3 champions.

The Chargers, who learn of their first-round opponent on Sunday, should receive an added boost from the return of senior running back Jack Carmichael.

Carmichael was an All-CIF Southern Section Division 3 selection last year after rushing for 1,088 yards and 12 touchdowns, but he has been sidelined with a serious leg injury since September. Junior Kobe Lopez received the bulk of the rushing workload in his absence on Friday, carrying the ball seven times for 44 yards.

“We just kind of play it as a feel thing throughout the course of the game,” Grady said on his plans for the running game next week. “[Lopez] will certainly be in the plan and getting work at practice. Jack is coming off a long layoff, so we’ll see.”

*

Edison 51, Marina 7

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Edison 30 – 21 – 0 – 0 — 51

Marina 0 – 0 – 0 – 7 — 7

FIRST QUARTER

E – Eden 10 pass from O’Connor (J. Morrell kick), 9:56.

E – Atencio 54 pass from O’Connor (J. Morrell kick), 7:49.

E – Moradian 22 pass from O’Connor (kick blocked), 5:07.

E – Atencio 9 pass from O’Connor (J. Morrell kick), 4:02.

E – J. Morrell 40 FG, 1:00.

SECOND QUARTER

E – Moradian 44 pass from O’Connor (J. Morrell kick), 10:59.

E – Gallego 2 pass from O’Connor (J. Morrell kick), 5:46.

E – Cooper 15 fumble return (J. Morrell kick), 4:21.

FOURTH QUARTER

M – Pendleton 42 pass from Green (Smith kick), 6:02.

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

E – Lopez, 7-44.

M – Green, 6-26.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

E – O’Connor, 13-18-0, 220, 6 TDs.

M – Green, 4-10-1, 72, 1 TD.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

E – Moradian, 3-77, 2 TDs.

M – Pendleton, 2-48, 1 TD.

JOSH CRISWELL is a contributor to Times Community News. Follow him on Twitter: @joshccriswell