SUNSET LEAGUE : Edison Rallies to Beat Fountain Valley

Looking for a way to inspire a lethargic football team that had lost four straight games, Fountain Valley High School Coach Mike Milner this week ordered the Baron decals removed from his players’ helmets.

Milner reasoned that his team had failed to live up to the tradition of past Fountain Valley teams, thus it was a “plain wrap” game plan for Friday night’s meeting with Edison at Orange Coast College.

The return to basics nearly worked. Fountain Valley held an 8-6 halftime lead, but Edison scored 20 points in the second half and shut down the Barons en route to a 26-8 victory in front of 8,100 fans.

Quarterback Josh Gingrich threw a 72-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ryan Blanchard and Mike Cunningham had a key interception and scored on a six-yard reverse for Edison (4-1 overall, 2-0 in league) in the second half.

Edison opened the third quarter with a 72-yard drive that featured the running of J.R. Schusterick and Travis Balding and methodically wore down an upstart but overmatched Fountain Valley team.

Fountain Valley (0-5, 0-2) opened an 8-0 lead in the first quarter and was competitive for a half before wilting.

“We played two good quarters. Unfortunately, there are four quarters in a game,” Milner said. “We fell back into some of the same mistakes we made in our first four games.”

With a superb game, Cunningham took his place among some of the great former Edison players, such as Kerwin Bell, Frank Seurer, Rick DiBernardo, Rick Bashore and Dave Geroux. Cunningham’s interception at his own 42-yard line with his team leading, 12-8, was the turning point in the game.

He also scored off a nifty six-yard double reverse. In the fourth quarter, a 29-yard run by Cunningham off the same play for a touchdown was nullified by a holding penalty.

“He’s the best player in the league,” Milner said. “Mike Cunningham is a great high school football player.”

Edison took a cue from Fountain Valley and went back to basics in the second half. The Chargers rushed for 102 yards in the second half and frustrated Fountain Valley with long, time-consuming drives.

“We decided to grind it out in the second half,” said Dave White, Edison coach. “We only had three offensive plays in the first quarter. We were tight opening the game, so the decision to go back to the running game helped.”

Schusterick led all rushers with 76 yards in 12 carries and Balding added 62 yards in 10 carries. For the second straight week, Brian Williams was the only effective offensive weapon for Fountain Valley, gaining 60 yards in 19 carries.