Walk-off touchdown sends Edison over CdM in 5-OT thriller
From the snap, PJ Campbell darted to the back of the end zone.
Once the senior wide receiver from Edison High School wrapped both hands around the ball, the rest of the Chargers made their way over.
Campbell’s 25-yard touchdown reception from Braeden Boyles on the first play of Edison’s possession in the fifth overtime ended a thriller, as the Chargers walked away with a 44-41 win over Corona del Mar in an unforgettable Sunset League football game at Huntington Beach High School.
“It was a crazy game,” Campbell said. “Words can’t even explain the atmosphere that was going on after that last play. It was hard-fought defense, hard-fought offense. We just came out on top, and it was awesome.”
The overtime sessions had a little bit of everything. Corona del Mar (3-2, 2-2 in league) got the ball first, and sophomore quarterback David Rasor used his legs to get the go-ahead score, making it 28-21.
Edison (4-1, 3-1) found itself on life support on the next possession. Backed up at the CdM 12 on a fourth-down play, Chargers coach Jeff Grady drew up a fade to the end zone for Tyler Hampton.
Boyles got the pass away to his left, and the 6-foot-4 junior went up and got it for the game-tying touchdown.
“I knew we had a little bit to go, and we needed a big play,” Hampton said. “They said they were going to throw it up to me, and I just knew I had to go up there and get it, be the only one to come down with it.”
Hampton’s teammates thoroughly enjoyed the highlight-reel-worthy catch. Edison offensive lineman Ryan Easterday, the left tackle, indicated he felt the play could be on the ESPN segment, “You Got Mossed.”
“I have never played a game like that ever,” Easterday said. “That was five overtimes of just grit and sweat and blood, and that was the best game I ever played.
“Hats off to CdM. They’re an amazing team. It feels great to get revenge on them from last year.”
Both teams scored on the ground in the second overtime. Boyles notched his fourth red-zone rushing touchdown of the game, and sophomore running back Evan Sanders answered for CdM. Sanders finished with 33 carries for 165 yards and two touchdowns.
With the third overtime came a pair of turnovers. Austin Grbic pressured Rasor and tipped his pass up in the air, and Jeremy Alcorn made the interception. Michael Wein then recovered a fumble for CdM to extend the game.
“I don’t think I’ve ever felt like that in a football game before,” Alcorn said. “Emotions were just high. This was a special game, for real. It really was.”
Edison’s Nicholas Preston and CdM’s Dane Voorhees traded field goals in the fourth overtime. In the next period, Voorhees made a 37-yard field goal before the Chargers won the game in walk-off fashion.
“I’ve never been a part of a game like that, and I don’t know if I ever will be again,” Grady said.
Boyles threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns, and he added 13 carries for 60 yards and four touchdowns.
The Chargers’ offensive line of Easterday, Zac Celano, Jake Parsons, Jackson Graf and Seth Allen, as well as running back Gavin Shappell, were called upon a lot for pass protection, as Edison approached 50 dropbacks in the contest.
Pressure got home for CdM at times, with Thomas Bouda and Nathan Bloom each finishing with three sacks. Hudson Letterman provided 1½ sacks for Edison.
Rasor threw for 173 yards and a touchdown, ran in two touchdowns, and had two punts that were downed at the Edison 1. John Tipton had 79 receiving yards, including a 30-yard touchdown to open the scoring.
Nico Brown led the Edison receiving corps with 12 catches for 125 yards, and Bradley Luna had seven catches for 106 yards.
“That was awesome,” said Sea Kings coach Dan O’Shea, in awe of the game that had just finished. “There is no winner or loser in this one. Edison deserved to win tonight. I bet if we played 10 times, we’d each win five. It’s great.”
Sunset League
Edison 44, Corona del Mar 41
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Corona del Mar 0 – 14 – 0 – 7 – 20 – 41
Edison 0 – 0 – 14 – 7 – 23 – 44
FIRST QUARTER
None
SECOND QUARTER
CdM – Tipton 30 pass from Rasor (Voorhees kick), 11:15.
CdM – Rasor 6 run (Voorhees kick), 2:36.
THIRD QUARTER
E – Boyles 2 run (Preston kick), 7:20.
E – Boyles 2 run (Preston kick), 2:03.
FOURTH QUARTER
E – Boyles 9 run (Preston kick), 7:57.
CdM – Sanders 6 run (Voorhees kick), 4:49.
OVERTIME
CdM – Rasor 1 run (Voorhees kick), OT.
E – Hampton 12 pass from Boyles (Preston kick), OT.
E – Boyles 3 run (Preston kick), 2OT.
CdM – Sanders 6 run (Voorhees kick), 2OT.
E – Preston 27 FG, 4OT.
CdM – Voorhees 26 FG, 4OT.
CdM – Voorhees 37 FG, 5OT.
E – Campbell 25 pass from Boyles, 5 OT.
INDIVIDUAL RUSHING
CdM – Sanders, 33-165, 2 TDs.
E – Boyles, 13-60, 4 TDs.
INDIVIDUAL PASSING
CdM – Rasor, 17-28-1, 173, 1 TD.
E – Boyles, 24-34-0, 280, 2 TDs.
INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING
CdM – Tipton, 6-79, 1 TD.
E – Brown, 12-125.
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