Edison Feels Lost After a 14-14 Tie

There were three consecutive fumbles near the goal line in the final 21/2 minutes of Thursday night’s wacky Sunset League football game between fourth-ranked Huntington Beach Edison and No. 15 Los Alamitos. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” Los Alamitos Coach John Barnes said.

There was more drama to come.

Quarterback Jeff Kline, forced into duty because of a knee injury to Tim Bessolo, threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Travis Brody with 11 seconds left, and Kevin Gamarnik kicked the extra point to give Los Alamitos a 14-14 tie at Huntington Beach High.

Afterward, it was clear Edison (6-0-1, 2-0-1) felt as if it had lost.

“Their kids are jumping up and down and our kids are crying,” Edison Coach Dave White said.

The wild final minutes started after Kline connected on an 18-yard pass to Brandon Tripp on fourth down to put the ball on the Edison three-yard line with 2:39 left. On the next play, Kline fumbled the snap, with Edison recovering on the one.

The celebration didn’t last long. Running back Chucky Linman of Edison fumbled, and Los Alamitos had the ball back on the two.

Then running back Quenton Jones of Los Alamitos fumbled, and Edison had the ball on the one with 2:19 to play and a 14-7 lead.

“I thought we were going to win, then I thought we were going to lose, then I thought we were going to win again,” Los Alamitos linebacker Gregory Johnson said.

The Griffins (5-2-1, 2-0-1) stopped three consecutive runs, then Ricky Parker broke through to block A.J. Martinez’s punt, giving Los Alamitos the ball on the Edison 26 with 33 seconds left. Kline completed passes of two and 11 yards before finding Brody in the end zone for the touchdown.

Kline, six for 16 passing for 34 yards through the first three quarters, completed six of 11 for 65 yards in the fourth in place of Bessolo, who missed the game because of a partially torn knee ligament.

Edison missed three field goals and had three turnovers. Quarterback Tommy Grady threw his first two interceptions of the season and finished 11 for 25 for 134 yards with two first-half touchdowns.