Mater Dei Is Left Reeling

Santa Ana Mater Dei High hasn’t been in panic mode this early in the season in a long time.

The seventh-ranked Monarchs are reeling after sixth-ranked Huntington Beach Edison knocked them off, 20-13, Friday night before 6,500 at Santa Ana Stadium. The Monarchs lost their third game in a row for the first time since opening the 1989 season with three consecutive defeats in Coach Bruce Rollinson’s first season.

Rollinson’s team defeated Edison that season to end its skid, but Mater Dei (1-3) couldn’t catch up with the Chargers this time, unable to erase a seven-point deficit on three fourth-quarter possessions.

The Monarchs’ comeback bid ended when quarterback Colt Brennan fumbled on fourth down inside the Mater Dei 15-yard line and Edison defender Paul Bartsch recovered the ball as time expired.

“This is very big,” said Edison defensive back A.J. Martinez, who blocked a field-goal attempt and pinned the Monarchs at their own 11 on a punt before their final drive. “We’re as high as we can get. We’re going to keep getting better.”

Quarterback Tommy Grady was another hero for the Chargers (3-0), completing 16 of 24 passes for 227 yards with three touchdowns. Two of those touchdowns came on Edison’s first two possessions of the third quarter as the Chargers rallied from a 13-7 halftime deficit to go ahead, 20-13.

“This win is big because Mater Dei is the team of the last 10, 12 years,” Edison Coach Dave White said. “I know they’ve got some injuries and are a little down, but they’re Mater Dei.”

Edison’s victory was all the more impressive because the Chargers played most of the game without starting running back Chucky Linman, who sprained an ankle in the first quarter, and tight end Ricky Bolotin, who suffered a concussion in the second quarter.

Mater Dei led, 13-7, after a first half characterized by missed opportunities. Monarch receivers dropped two potential touchdown passes on two drives that netted only three points. An Edison receiver couldn’t keep a foot inbounds as he hauled in a pass in the corner of the end zone, and the Chargers fumbled on their last possession of the second quarter after driving past midfield.

Mater Dei led, 5-0, midway through the second quarter after a safety and a 22-yard field goal by Tim Chicoine, who had his first attempt, from 21 yards, blocked by Martinez. Monarch defenders swarmed Grady on the safety, causing him to fumble the ball out of the back of the end zone.

Grady later redeemed himself by completing a short pass to Denny Flanagan, who eluded a tackler and skirted the sideline for a 56-yard touchdown and a 7-5 Edison advantage. But the Monarchs reclaimed the lead on Brennan’s 20-yard scoring pass to Julian Petit.