The O.C. Game of the Week
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Servite vs. Edison, at Orange Coast College, Friday, 7:30 p.m.
No game on the Orange County landscape can challenge this game this week -- not even Newport Harbor-Corona del Mar. These are two Pac-5 and Southland powers. In fact, Servite is ranked No. 11 in the state by CalHiSports.com and Edison is No. 12.
Each has its stars, and if they play to their potential, this game might be a classic. Edison beat Servite twice last season, 28-13, and 28-21, the latter in the second round of the Southern Section playoffs. This game could be very important when it comes time to determine the seeds for the Pac-5 playoffs.
The drama centers on Nick Crissman, the Edison quarterback who passed for 3,094 yards and 27 touchdowns last season. He had an appendectomy after his team’s first game, and hasn’t played since. Coach Dave White expected him to be out another week, but Crissman guaranteed two weeks ago he would be in ready for Servite.
Smart money says he’s in the lineup. Servite would be foolish to have not prepared for Crissman’s presence. Even with Crissman, the Chargers are better when they’re balanced, and that means they’ll need solid performances by their offensive line to open up holes for running backs Areseo Lakey and Ceasare Nieto.
Edison won last year’s games with its defense, and it will need another strong performance to offset the Friars’ D.J. Shoemate, who missed both games in 2006, and Greg Portis. Like Edison, Servite will need to make it happen on the ground and in the air.
Servite’s defense has allowed only one touchdown in two games, and it might need another performance to make this one stick. There’s a good chance that could happen, because linebacker Austin Niklas makes his season debut after being out with a thumb injury.
- Martin Henderson