Mater Dei Delivers a Knockout

A year ago, Huntington Beach Edison running back Joshua Gage was stopped one yard short of the goal line on the final play in a six-point loss to Santa Ana Mater Dei.

Friday, before a capacity crowd at Orange Coast College, the Chargers were still a yard short when it counted.

Needing five yards for a first down at the 14-yard line to keep a drive alive in the last minute, quarterback Brian Shrock was knocked out of bounds by Michael Hardwick at the 15, and Edison, ranked third in the Southland by The Times, fell to No. 6 Mater Dei, 20-14.

Both defenses were as good as advertised, but two third-quarter plays -- the only two passes completed by Mater Dei quarterback Kyle Woody in the second half -- were the difference.

Woody, who had averaged 28 yards per completion this season, connected on touchdowns of 65 and 76 yards to Robert Dubrish only 52 seconds apart. Coupled with first-half field goals of 29 and 30 yards by Adam Sutter, Mater Dei (3-1) had enough to win again.

“It was a little shaky in the first half,” said Woody, who completed three of eight passes for 143 yards and an interception. “On that second one, [Dubrish] made a great catch. I said, ‘What ... How can he be that wide open?’ ”

Edison (4-1) had not given up a long play all season, but no one was covering Dubrish while protecting a 14-12 lead with 8:51 left in the third quarter.

“That was our emphasis the whole week,” said frustrated Edison Coach Dave White. “You can’t give a good team two big plays.”

Mater Dei dominated early, holding the ball more than 18 of the 24 minutes of the first half. But twice at the 12-yard line the Monarchs kicked field goals, and at the 27 they botched a field-goal try.

Edison, which also missed a field-goal attempt from the six-yard line, converted a fumble into a 39-yard scoring drive, with Shrock passing 23 yards to Joshua Gage for a 7-6 lead.

From its own 27 with 1:05 left in the half, Edison’s Abel Cardona triggered a rally with a 40-yard run, and Shrock hit Thomas Marcin for 28 yards with 17 seconds left for a 14-6 lead.

Then came the Monarchs’ third-quarter turnaround, followed by their defensive plays in the fourth: Gregory Moses recovered a fumble and Hardwick stopped Shrock.

“Our defense is as good as anybody’s, including theirs,” Mater Dei Coach Bruce Rollinson said. “And then we hit the bombs.”