Edison Loses Again

San Clemente’s defense was so inexperienced at the start of fall practice that even seniors such as outside linebacker Aubrey McCravey were having seconds thoughts about the season opener against No. 5 Huntington Beach Edison, which would already have a game under its belt.

Not to worry. San Clemente, No. 23 in The Times’ preseason rankings, is going to be just fine. The Triton defense used a bend-but-don’t-break approach, and a touchdown reception and field goals of 45 and 43 yards by multipurpose standout Chris Miller to stop Edison, 13-10, Friday night at Huntington Beach High.

Quarterback Tommy Grady of No. 5 Edison (0-2) passed for 280 yards and a late touchdown, but was sacked seven times and chased out of the pocket several times by the Tritons, who were led by McCravey and lineman Brian De La Puente.

Grady completed 14 of 30 passes, but was often throwing on the run, thanks to the secondary coverage of San Clemente (1-0).

Only two games into the season, Edison, which lost to Iolani High of Honolulu, 34-20, last week, needs to regroup.

“Our defense was really suspect all during the off-season,” McCravey said. “We lost eight starters, we only had three returning players and a bunch of young kids.”

Edison had a few moments in the first half during which it looked as if it would live up to its advanced billing. On the third play of the Chargers’ second drive, Grady connected with Matt White on a 75-yard pass play that gave Edison a first down at the San Clemente 14-yard line.

But the drive stalled when two of Grady’s passes were dropped, and all the Chargers could come away with was a 28-yard field goal by left-footed Dominik Bronowicki with 5 minutes 50 seconds left in the first quarter.

The Chargers had a golden opportunity again about five minutes later, marching 80 yards in 11 plays to the Triton two. But it was backward from there. In the next six plays, Grady was sacked for six yards in losses and two would-be Edison touchdown passes were called back because of penalties. The Chargers came up empty when Bronowicki’s 33-yard field goal attempt sailed left.

A 37-yard punt return by Travis Weber gave San Clemente a first down at the Edison 16-yard line on its opening possession of the second half. A play later, Edison defensive back Travis Simon was called for pass interference on San Clemente’s Miller at the Charger one. That gave the Tritons a first and goal at the Edison eight.

Quarterback Beau Budde ran a bootleg to his right on the next play and completed a touchdown pass to Miller.

Paul McLeod

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La Puente Bishop Amat 17, Valencia 14--Christopher Seals scored on a four-yard touchdown run with 1:05 left in the game to give the Lancers the nonleague victory at Canyon Country Canyon High.

Seals’ run capped an 11-play, 73-yard drive that was kept alive when No. 19 Valencia was penalized five yards for having too many players on the field when Bishop Amat punted on a fourth-and-four play from its own 33-yard line.

Valencia (0-1), which had taken a 14-10 lead with 4:44 left in the game on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Stephen Wright to tight end Desmond Blair, drove from its own nine-yard line to the Bishop Amat with 20 seconds remaining. But Wright threw two incomplete passes before his third pass was intercepted by Michael Shea on the Lancer 20 with two seconds left.

Seals, a transfer from La Verne Damien, rushed for 127 yards in 29 carries.

Quarterback Matthew Lawhorn completed 11 of 19 passes for 133 yards and a 27-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Smith that gave Bishop Amat (1-0) a 10-7 lead with 11:01 left to play.

Wright completed 10 of 20 passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns for Valencia, which was playing without four starters who were suspended for a game by Coach Brian Stiman after they were involved in an alcohol-related car crash over Labor Day weekend.

John Ortega

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Manhattan Beach Mira Costa 56, North Torrance 28--Standout running back Michael Okwo suffering from a hip pointer, played only sparingly on defense, but the 14th-ranked Mustangs (1-0) hardly missed him.

Reserve running back Austin Liggett had 118 yards and three touchdowns in seven carries, and Tyler Pringle added two more scores and 50 yards in eight carries in the nonleague game at Manhattan Beach.

The Saxons (0-1) were led by quarterback Lyle Moevao, who completed eight of 18 passes for one touchdown with two interceptions. Dionte Harvey gained 86 yards and scored twice in eight carries.

Rafer Weigel

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Corona Centennial 49, Rialto Eisenhower 0--Ray Bass ran for a nine-yard touchdown, returned a blocked punt 10 yards for a score, and intercepted two passes to set up two more touchdowns for the No. 17 Huskies in a nonleague victory at Eisenhower.

Terrell Jackson rushed 23 times for 97 yards, almost all in the first half, and scored three times on runs of one, one and two yards as Centennial outgained Eisenhower, 272-7, and opened a 37-0 lead, scoring on its first four drives.

Shaun Lewis completed 14 of 20 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown, and Ramiro Hernandez caught six passes for 111 yards and a 20-yard score.

Martin Henderson