Field Goal Is Difference for Griffins

Sophomore linebacker Matt Abrams had never played a down of varsity football or kicked more than a couple of field goals for the Los Alamitos junior varsity team.

But Thursday at Veterans Stadium, while breathing new life into the Griffins, he became another figure in a growing cast of characters that has turned Edison’s season upside down.

Abrams, a 190-pound backup kicker who has been on the varsity just a couple of weeks, booted a 40-yard field goal with four seconds left to give Los Alamitos a stunning 31-28 Sunset League victory over Edison.

The kick, which just made it, marked the third time this season that Edison, with three losses by a total of nine points, has lost a game in the final minute.

Abrams said afterward he has taken only a couple of snaps with the varsity team since being called up. That wouldn’t surprise the Chargers.

In successive weeks the Chargers surrendered a 35-yard pass play in the final minute of a 27-26 loss to sixth-ranked Esperanza and last week gave up a touchdown with 59 seconds left in a 19-17 loss to Fountain Valley.

Coach Dave White, his head bowed in a silent locker room after the game, did not want to speak, according to Athletic Director Bruce Belcher. Who can blame him, Belcher said. The Chargers again played well enough to win.

Edison (5-3-1, 1-3 in league) got four rushing touchdowns and 188 yards from junior running back Darin Pope and used an effective short passing game, spearheaded by quarterback Jeff Grady, who completed 10 of 14 passes for 117 yards.

Los Alamitos (7-2, 2-2) was more effective in the air, a trademark all season. Quarterback Zach Blazek completed 17 of 28 pass attempts for 282 yards and two scores. He also passed for a two-point conversion, which gave the Griffins a 28-21 lead with 11 minutes 30 seconds left to be played.

But Edison struck back two possessions later, going 64 yards on five plays, with Pope netting runs of 35 and 17 yards.

Over on the Los Alamitos sideline, Coach John Barnes had a dilemma after Edison tied the score, 28-28. His regular kicker, Mike Hill, was out of the game because of a concussion. But after the Griffins’ drive stalled at the Edison 23 with 10 seconds left, he had no choice but to send in Abrams for a field-goal try. A tie for either team would have severely hampered their playoff chances.

“This kid has maybe kicked a couple of field goals for the junior varsity,” Barnes said. “He came up to us a couple of weeks ago and said he wanted to try kicking field goals and so we let him.”

Barnes said it was even more surprising that the he let Abrams remain on the varsity, but Barnes was glad that he did.

As for Abrams, he accepted hugs from teammates at midfield after the winning kick.

“I just concentrated on keeping my head down,” he said.