Sunset League : Lance Helps Edison Beat Huntington Beach

A couple of big plays by Darren Lance helped Edison High School salvage some respect from a lost season as the Oilers stunned Huntington Beach, 7-6, in a Sunset League game before 4,500 at Sheue Field Friday night.

Lance, a junior, blocked a punt in the first quarter to set up Edison’s touchdown. With 15 seconds left, Lance intercepted an Eric Pettinato pass to halt Huntington Beach’s final scoring threat at the Charger 10-yard line.

“That takes some of the sting away from the season we had,” Edison Coach Dave White said. “The kids never gave up and that’s why we played well at the end.”

The Chargers (2-8, 2-3) were coming off a 14-13 loss to league champion Fountain Valley.

It was a disheartening defeat for Huntington Beach (6-4, 3-2), although the Oilers still qualified for a playoff berth. The loss overshadowed another fine performance by Jason McGehee, who gained 204 yards in 31 carries to push his season total to 1,308 yards.

However, all the Oilers had to show for his efforts were a pair of field goals by Casey Satterthwaite. Huntington Beach wasted a first-and-goal situation in the first quarter and ended a 58-yard drive in the fourth quarter by fumbling at the Edison 14.

“When you get down there and don’t score, that will always kill you,” Huntington Beach Coach George Pascoe said. “But they (the Chargers) are not your normal 2-8 team.”

Huntington Beach looked like a one-man team in the first quarter when McGehee carried the ball on the Oilers’ first 10 plays. In the fourth quarter, McGehee was in on 12 of the Oilers’ 17 plays.

Kaleaph Carter gained 84 yards and had a 2-yard touchdown in 21 carries for Edison.