SUNSET LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Hot-Shooting Edison Stops Fountain Valley’s Winning Streak

Some accurate shooting in the second quarter was enough to cool off the hottest team in the Sunset League Wednesday night.

Edison High School made eight of 11 shots in the second quarter and rolled to a 61-36 victory over Fountain Valley, ending the Barons’ winning streak at four games.

Fountain Valley (10-11, 4-3) was coming off victories against league-leading Marina and second-place Ocean View. The comeback victory over Ocean View came after Fountain Valley had fallen behind by 21 points in the second quarter.

But Coach Gordon Billingsley suited up only seven players against Edison and the results were predictable. Edison’s physical frontline wore down Fountain Valley and turned the game into a mismatch.

Edison (16-6, 5-2) utilized the inside scoring of center Bill Martineau and the all-around play of sixth man Todd Smyser to gain control early. Edison opened a 21-10 lead with 6:19 remaining in the second quarter when guard Tom Tyler made two free throws and Fountain Valley never recovered.

Fountain Valley was playing without starting forward Eric Zellmer and Vince Nguyen, a key reserve. Zellmer was injured in an automobile accident last weekend and didn’t suit up. He was wearing a neck brace, and Billingsley said the senior is out indefinitely.

“He’s lucky he wasn’t seriously injured,” Billingsley said.

Nguyen was declared academically ineligible for the rest of the season. Earlier, Fountain Valley lost a key returning starter, Doug Weaver, when he had knee surgery after the football season.

Fountain Valley’s depth problems were compounded when starting guard Doug Corcoran, the team’s best outside shooter, fouled out with 5:21 remaining in the third quarter and his team trailing, 45-24.

“When we lost Corcoran, that sealed our fate,” Billingsley said.

Martineau led all scorers with 22 points and had eight rebounds before retiring to the bench with 2:20 remaining and his team leading, 56-36. Smyser added 12 points, including a pair of three-point shots, and had nine rebounds.

“There was a lot of up-and-down play out there, and I don’t exactly know why,” said Jon Borchert, the Edison coach. “Those were the same seven guys who were down by 21 points and beat Ocean View Saturday night. I still can’t believe that.”

In other league games:

Marina 74, Huntington Beach 57--Cherokee Parks, who had 16 rebounds, scored 13 of his game-high 34 points in the fourth quarter for visiting Marina (14-8, 6-1). Brant Shelor had eight points, seven rebounds and seven assists for the Vikings. Mustapha Abdi had 15 points for Huntington Beach (8-13, 1-6).

Ocean View 69, Westminster 56--Ryan Martin had 16 points and Jim Gwaltney had 15 to lead Ocean View (13-8, 5-2) over visiting Westminster (5-14, 0-7). Jim Harris had 11 points and seven assists for Ocean View. Jessie Gomez had 21 points.