2 weeks Ago
HUNTINGTON BEACH — Edison played its opening-round game in the CIF-SS Division 3 football playoffs on Thursday against a North Torrance team that had been averaging 31 points per game and led by a quarterback who was averaging 220 yards passing per game. The Chargers, who are ranked No.11 in Orange County, came in well prepared, keeping the Saxons off the board on their way to a 24-0 victory at Huntington Beach High School.
Edison wide receiver Aidan Brown, left, celebrates his touchdown with running back Sam Edmisten in the CIF-SS Division 3 first round playoffs against North in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) North’s Jydan Andrade, left, makes the catch as Edison defensive back Will Harrison defends in the CIF-SS Division 3 first round playoffs in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Nov.
7, 2024. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) Edison’s Carson Schmidt, right, steps in front of North’s Kingston Anetema to pick off a pass in the CIF-SS Division 3 first round playoffs in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024.
(Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) Edison defensive back Will Harrison, right, breaks up a pass intended for North’s Kingston Anetema in the CIF-SS Division 3 first round playoffs in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) Edison running back Sam Edmisten, right, moves past North’s Kingston Anetema, center, to score a touchdown in the opening minutes of the CIF-SS Division 3 first round playoffs in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Nov.
7, 2024. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) Edison wide receiver Aidan Brown scores a touchdown on a pass play against North in the CIF-SS Division 3 first round playoffs in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024.
(Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) North quarterback Kane Anetema looks for a receiver against Edison in the CIF-SS Division 3 first round playoffs in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) Edison defensive tackle Devyn Blake (55) stops North’s King Shelton from gaining any yardage in the CIF-SS Division 3 first round playoffs in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Nov.
7, 2024. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) Edison quarterback Sam Thomson fires a pass against North in the CIF-SS Division 3 first round playoffs in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024.
(Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) Edison Ayden Degiacomo, right, can’t reach a pass as North’s Ethan Edwards defends in the CIF-SS Division 3 first round playoffs in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) North’s Kchole Mataele-Juarez, right, is hit by Edison linebacker Jeremiah Ross after catching a pass in the CIF-SS Division 3 first round playoffs in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Nov.
7, 2024. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) Edison linebacker Jack Knudtson recovers a fumble by North quarterback Kane Anetema late in the fourth quarter in the CIF-SS Division 3 first round playoffs in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024.
(Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) North’s Ethan Edwards, center, gets away from Edison’s Shea Summers as he returns a kick-off in the CIF-SS Division 3 first round playoffs in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) Edison wide receiver Aidan Brown, left, celebrates his touchdown with running back Sam Edmisten in the CIF-SS Division 3 first round playoffs against North in Huntington Beach on Thursday, Nov.
7, 2024. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) Edison (7-4) advances to the quarterfinals to face the winner of Friday’s Cathedral-Bonita matchup. If Bonita wins, Edison will travel to La Verne for the quarterfinal round and if Cathedral wins, the Chargers will be the home team.
The Chargers held sophomore quarterback Boogie Anetema to five completions for 34 yards in the first half. Anetema finished with 176 yards but most of his yardage in the second half came after Edison was well ahead. The Saxons (8-2) didn’t get inside Edison’s 35 until late in the game, when the Chargers essentially had the game won.
“Our defensive (coaching staff) is very good,” Edison coach Jeff Grady said. “The kids executed for the most part. That’s the case every week .
.. Put together the best game plan you can and do your best to execute it.
” Grady said he wasn’t as pleased with the performance of his offense. “So luckily our defense did what they did and gave us more opportunities,” Grady said. Edison led 14-0 at the half but the Saxons received the kickoff to start the second half and put together their best drive of the game up to that point.
The Saxons completed a 40-yard pass and a 10-yard pass on the drive and faced a second-and-10 on the Chargers 35 and were in a position to get to within a touchdown. But on second-and-10 from the Edison 35, Carson Smith intercepted a pass at the Edison 18 to thwart the drive. The Chargers converted the takeaway into a 28-yard touchdown run from Julius Gillick to take a 21-0 lead.
Gillick, the Chargers’ high-powered running back who came into the contest averaging 168 yards a game, was nursing an injury and saw limited action, getting only 10 carries. Sophomore Sam Edmisten, who during the regular season had nine carries, did an excellent job filling the void. Edmisten had seven carries for 46 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown on the first drive of the game to give Edison a 7-0 lead.
The running back also had seven receptions for 63 yards. “I thought it was great,” Edison quarterback Sam Thompson said of Edmisten’s performance. “I’ve known he can do it, but I know the world didn’t know he could do it.
So, that was awesome to see. And I mean he just bounces off the tackle and he plays bigger than his size. So, I was impressed with what I saw.
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