For Most Teams at the Top, Only Way to Go Is Down

Former Edison High School Coach Bill Workman knows the feeling of being No. 1 and the pressure that goes along with it.

From 1979 to 1981, Edison was the county’s top-ranked team under Workman, who now coaches at Orange Coast College. The Chargers won 32 consecutive games in three years, a county record that is now within Esperanza’s sight. The Aztecs have won 22 in a row.

“You’re a target for every team that wants to beat the No. 1 team,” Workman said. “One upset can make a team’s season.”

Workman should know. Edison entered the 1981 playoffs with a 10-0 record and drew Servite, an at-large entry, in the first round. Servite upset Edison to end the Charger winning streak at 32.

Bolsa Grande, with one of the highest scoring teams in county history, was the top-ranked team in 1987 under Coach Greg Shadid. But two days after being crowned the county’s mythical champion, the Matadors had to forfeit three games when an administrator discovered they had used an ineligible player.

Bolsa Grande kept the top ranking but was never the same after the forfeits. The Matadors were upset by Saddleback in the opening round of the playoffs.

“Being No. 1 is something they could never take away from those kids,” Shadid said. “But forfeiting those games was devastating.”

El Toro was the top-ranked team in 1986, when the Bob and Bret Johnson Show played to rave reviews. The Chargers finished with a 14-0 record, and afterward Coach Bob Johnson talked about county dynasties.

“This team certainly deserves a place with the Edison and Servite championship teams,” Johnson said. “It takes some breaks and even a little luck to go 14-0.

“You have to avoid major injuries and stay focused for 14 straight weeks. Every team experiences a letdown sometime during the season, but the best teams find a way to overcome complacency.”