SUNSET LEAGUE : Graham’s Edison Debut Is a Success

Nice rust.

Entering Edison’s Sunset League game against Marina, former Mater Dei running back Michael Graham hadn’t played in two weeks and was declared “rusty” by Edison Coach Dave White.

It didn’t take Graham long to shake off the cobwebs and help lead Edison to a 24-7 victory at Orange Coast College Friday night. Graham rushed for 175 yards in 17 carries, including fourth-quarter scoring carries of 16 and 30 yards, after Edison (5-2, 3-1) had taken a 10-7 lead early in the third.

“He’s a good back, they got a lot of yardage out of him,” Marina Coach Dave Thompson said.

Throughout the week, White vacillated on how much Graham would play. But he admitted Graham played more than anticipated.

“He didn’t know the system very well, but he got hot and the line opened up holes for him,” White said.

Teammates were equally impressed with their new rusher.

“He found the holes and made good cuts when we needed them,” said senior Charger quarterback Todd Belitz, who was equally important to Edison.

Belitz was all over the field and all over the Vikings (3-4, 2-2), all night. Belitz, who also plays defensive end, recorded four sacks in addition to a productive night orchestrating his team’s victory.

“Todd had a great game, just a great game,” White said.

After Marina opened the game on a 73-yard pass play from Travis Anderson to Mike Groh, Belitz evened it up with a 4-yard touchdown run.

Then on Marina’s first possession early in the fourth--Edison led 10-7 courtesy of Kevin Bever’s 25-yard field goal--Belitz came out of nowhere to sack Anderson on back-to-back losses of eight and five yards. The Vikings eventually punted, giving Edison good field position and a touchdown by Graham three plays later for the 17-7 lead with 7:54 left.

Graham’s second scoring run came four minutes later. Edison started the drive on Marina’s 45 and three plays later, he was in.

For Belitz, this game was a measure of revenge for the last two seasons, in which Marina had blown Edison’s league championship as well as playoff hopes.

“We didn’t want that to happen this year,” he said. “We came out really flat, but we turned it around. Everyone pulled it together.”

White said the culprit was foresight, that Edison was coming off two easy victories and was looking ahead to next week’s Fountain Valley game.

“We weren’t mentally prepared,” he said.

Belitz was 10 of 20 for 150 yards, and completed half of his passes to Dan Emhof (5-80). Anderson was 5 of 15 for 111 yards.