It’s Still Thrill for Fountain Valley

In another era, this game would have been played in front of at least 20,000 at Anaheim Stadium and possibly served as a preview to a Southern Section title matchup.

Not this time.

Thanks to plummeting enrollment and demographic changes, the Fountain Valley-Edison rivalry has lost a bit of its luster. But don’t tell that to Fountain Valley, which scored an emotional 20-11 victory over Edison Friday in front of about 7,000 at Orange Coast College.

It was Fountain Valley’s first victory over Edison since 1988 when the Barons won, 28-21, and went on to a Southern Section title, and it sent Baron fans onto the field to mob the team.

More important than history, however, is the fact that Fountain Valley (4-2, 3-0 in the Sunset League) is tied for first in league with Servite.

It took the Barons a half to get going against Edison (3-3, 1-2). They missed several chances to score in the first half and trailed the Chargers, 3-0, entering the locker room.

Fountain Valley’s defense only allowed 74 yards in total offense in the first half, and then the offense contributed with two big plays in the third quarter to take a 13-3 lead.

“(Edison) was ahead, 3-0, but we were playing better than them on defense and better than them on offense,” Fountain Valley Coach George Berg said. “I told my players, ‘When we’ve got the opportunities, we must score this half.’ ”

After driving to the Edison 46 on the opening kickoff, Fountain Valley’s hit Bryan Gail with a pass over the middle. Gail caught the ball at the 30, broke a tackle and ran into the end zone.

Fountain Valley’s defense stopped Edison, and the Chargers managed only a seven-yard punt. Fountain Valley then scored again immediately on Jeremy Nicholson’s 33-yard run.

Nicholson rushed for 168 yards, 122 coming after the half. Gail caught seven passes for 133 yards.

Edison scrambled back into contention with an 14-play, 80-yard drive, which was helped along by two fourth-down conversions and capped by a one-yard dive by Chet Van Horn. Van Horn’s two-point conversion cut the Barons’ lead to 13-11, but Fountain Valley scored on its next possession when Bertoni completed a 16-yard touchdown pass to Mike Gillis.