Chargers ready to go

The Edison High football team is in Hawaii this week, not only to enjoy the sights and sounds of Maui but to open its 2011 season.

The Chargers launch their campaign Friday at Baldwin High in Wailuku. The game marks the fourth time in the past 10 years (2002, 2005, 2008, 2011) that they have opened their season on the islands. The Chargers are 1-2 in their previous three visits 5-3 overall playing in Hawaii.

Friday is the first meeting between the two schools. The Bears went 9-2 last year and have won six straight Maui League championships.

Edison has 13 starters, including nine on offense, returning from a 2010 team that went 7-4 and finished second to Los Alamitos in the Sunset League race. Seven of those players are returning with honors. Among them is senior quarterback Chase Favreau, who last fall was voted the Sunset League’s Offensive Player of the Year and senior wide receiver/kicker Gavin Perdomo, who was the league’s 2010 Kicker of the Year.

Below is a capsule look at the 2011 Chargers.

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League: Sunset

Head coach: Dave White (26th year; 189-100-3)

Coaching staff: Harry Schmidt (offensive line); Jesse Sapolu (offensive line); Al Granado (offensive line); Mo Time (offensive line); Marty Burns (offensive line); Dave Grace (quarterbacks); Mike Walters (running backs); Buddy Noble (defensive ends); John Donnelly (defensive line); Ryan Tombrello (defensive backs); Robert Dubrish (defensive backs); Mike Rivera (wide receivers); Allen Atkins (wide receivers); Fred Marquez (defensive backs).

2010 record: 7-4

2010 league record: 4-1 (second place)

2010 CIF playoffs: Lost first-round Pac-5 game to Santa Margarita

Type of offense: Spread

Type of defense: 4-3

Returning starters: 9 offense/4 defense

Returning with honors: Chase Favreau (2010 Sunset League Offensive Player of the Year); Gavin Perdomo (WR/K, 2010 Sunset League Kicker of the Year, Sr.); Nick Masaniai (LB, all-league, Sr.); Curren Provost (WR, all-league, Sr.); Troy Baljeu (WR, all-league, Sr.); Bryce Campbell (LB, all-league, Sr.); Trenton Aschoff (DL, all-league, Jr.).

Top newcomers: Sedric Hill (WR/CB, transfer from Mater Dei, Sr.); Andrew Mosely (WR/CB, Sr.); Elijah Herrera (RB/LB, Jr.); Derek Baljeu (DE, Jr.); Nick Covelli (DL, Sr.); Trevor Borkowski (WR/FS, Jr.).

Others to watch: Zach Salazar (CB, Sr.); Tico Fuga (OL, Soph.).

Key losses: Charles Burks (2010 Sunset League Defensive Player of the Year; 21 career sacks; now at USC).

Team outlook: “We have experienced skill players and our defensive line should be good,” said White, who noted that areas that need work are an “inexperienced defense” and an offensive line that “must improve.”

The schedule: In addition to Friday’s opener in Hawaii, the Chargers play on the road against Dana Hills and Mater Dei and host Garfield of Los Angeles and defending Pac-5 Division champion Servite in nonleague play. They open Sunset action at home Oct. 13 against defending league champion Los Alamitos.

“Mater Dei and Servite back-to-back is a real challenge,” White said. “It sure gets us ready for league and the playoffs.”

2011 schedule

Friday: at Baldwin (7:30 p.m., Wailuku, Hawaii)

Sept. 8: Garfield (7 p.m., Huntington Beach High)

Sept. 16: at Dana Hills (7 p.m.)

Sept. 23: Servite (7 p.m., Huntington Beach High)

Sept. 30: at Mater Dei (7:30 p.m., Santa Ana Bowl)

Oct. 13: *Los Alamitos (7 p.m., Huntington Beach High)

Oct. 21: at *Marina (7 p.m., Westminster High)

Oct. 27: at *Huntington Beach (7 p.m.)

Nov. 4: vs. *Fountain Valley (7 p.m., Orange Coast College)

Nov. 10: at *Newport Harbor (7 p.m.)

* Denotes Sunset League game