Edison Defense Paves Way to Sunset Title

COSTA MESA â€”  Edison High School’s 19-10 Sunset League victory over Marina Friday night was neither masterful nor memorable, but that was OK.

Edison fumbled the first two times it handled the ball in the second half, lost all its momentum and nearly let a 13-point lead slip away. And that was OK, too.

The end result was all that mattered for Edison, which clinched its second consecutive Sunset League championship.

So that hugging and screaming at midfield at Orange Coast College didn’t jibe with what went on during the game. So what?

“We’ll take it,� Edison Coach Dave White said.

A swarming defense on Marina’s one-dimensional offense won the game for Edison (7-1, 5-0 in league play).

Marina (5-3, 2-2) recovered two Edison fumbles inside the 20, but came away with just seven points.

“We had the opportunity, but we couldn’t score,� Marina Coach John Seeley said.

Hard-running by Shawn Fulford accounted for 20 of Marina’s 26 second-half plays. Fulford butted heads with Edison defenders on the way to 127 yards in 34 carries.

His four-yard score was more of a five-man pile-up than a touchdown run, but it helped cut Edison’s 16-3 halftime lead to 16-10 with 9:01 left in the third quarter. The touchdown was set up by Mike Cunningham’s fumble on the second half kickoff.

A bungled snap from center on Edison’s next possession gave the ball back to Marina at the Charger 20.

Five runs by Fulford and a three-yard loss by quarterback Cristin McLemore left Marina at the one. And on fourth down, Edison stopped Fulford for no gain.

Edison added a 36-yard field goal by Brent Hanson in the fourth quarter.

The Chargers’ offense had its moments, mostly in the first half.

Cunningham slipped behind the defense for a 75-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. Later, Hanson kicked a 22-yard field goal for a 9-0 Edison lead.

After Dan Armstrong kicked a 21-yard field goal for Marina, Cunningham caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from Josh Gingrich with 32 seconds left in the half.

Gingrich completed nine of 21 passes for 201 yards. Cunningham caught five passes for 134 yards.

Ahead, 16-3, at that point, Edison looked as if it were headed for an easy victory.

“I’m really proud of our defense tonight,� White said. “We put ourselves in a hole the first two times we had the ball in the third quarter. Offense puts people in the stands, but defense wins championships, though.�