Chargers beat Vikings in thriller

HUNTINGTON BEACH — Edison High girls’ soccer Coach Kerry Crooks knew it would be a battle.

In the end, one of her senior veterans helped the Chargers survive yet another heated Edison-Marina game.

Senior midfielder Brianna Webster scored the game-winning goal early in the first overtime period, on a cross from sophomore Angelisa Cortez, as Edison won the Sunset League contest, 5-4, Tuesday at Marina High.

Edison (7-3-3, 1-1 in league) was the favorite coming in, but that didn’t matter in a game where neither team ever had more than a single-goal lead.

“It’s just an emotional game,” Crooks said. “Marina and Edison, we constantly battle it out and it could have gone any way. We missed so many chances, we missed a [penalty kick] and we missed two open nets. This game never should have gotten to where it was, but they’re an emotional team. That team always plays with high intensity against us, and I always give them credit. No matter what year it is we play them, they always come out and give us a fight.

“I think our seniors really stepped up and tried to sort out the chaos, basically,” she added with a laugh.

Marina (2-5-2, 0-2) took the early lead in the second minute when junior Devon Shinn scored on a rebound goal after senior Genesse Banks’ shot hit the post.

But Edison responded with goals from junior Rachael Larson (on a free kick) and Karley Wester to take a 2-1 halftime lead.

The second half was back and forth. Late in regulation, Marina senior Jordan O’Brien scored her second goal on a free kick from the left, tying the score at 4 and sending the game into overtime.

But three minutes into the first 10-minute overtime period, Webster scored her second goal, which would hold up as the game-winner.

“We had to keep our heads level,” Webster said of the game’s emotional nature.

“We left it on the field. We always leave it on the field. We had so many shots and we scored a good chunk of them, obviously.

“We kept shooting and following and framing.”

Sophomore Courtney Maddux also scored for Edison. Marina got two goals each from O’Brien and Shinn, as well as a penalty-kick stop from senior keeper Alex Farmer in the second half on Edison junior standout Nikki Fedele.

Edison has now evened its league record, while Marina is still searching for its first league win. But Vikings Coach Mike Greco said he was proud of his team, which never led after the game’s opening minutes but battled back every time Edison took a second-half lead.

“We’ve got to take everything and learn from it,” Greco said. “I was really proud about that fight; that’s something you really can’t coach. We play in a tough league and we’re going to be in battles like this for the next eight games. I think it serves us, as long as we put our mindset to it. They played really hard. Edison-Marina games are always super-intense, and it’s fun to be a part of.

“In the end, the thing about Edison is that they push and push and push. They created the chances they needed to win. But we’ll be amped up for next time.”