Edison Loses Shootout Against Orange Lutheran (2021)

Santa Ana – Santa Ana Stadium

A much anticipated matchup featuring two top 10 Orange County teams, the Edison Chargers (1-2) and Orange Lutheran Lancers (3-0), came down to the final minute of the game on Friday night at Orange Coast College.

Down 21-20 with 54 seconds left in the fourth, the Lancers’ Dieter Kelly knocked down a 34-yard field goal to put his team out in front 23-21, ultimately winning Orange Lutheran the game.

In their second matchup against a Trinity League opponent, the Edison Chargers showed why they are a force to be reckoned with, and the No.9 team in the county.

Edison’s Nico Brown returned the game’s opening kick 87 yards, setting up an eventual 5-yard touchdown pass from Parker Awad to Austin Grbic to give their team a 7-0 with 10:28 left in the quarter.

The Lancers quickly responded with a 24-yard touchdown reception for Hayden Faraday from his quarterback Logan Gonzalez to tie the game 7-7 with 7:20 left in the opening quarter.

Each team scored once more in the second quarter. Awad connected on a 1-yard touchdown pass to Peyton Gregory to give his team a 14-7 lead with 8:16 left in half. Orange Lutheran then tied the game with a 1-yard touchdown run from Desmin Jackson with three seconds left in the second quarter.

After a Fletcher touchdown in the third quarter for Edison, the Lancers used a 7-yard touchdown pass from Gonzalez to Jackson to put the score at 21-20 after they missed the extra point with 11:22 left in the game.

For the Chargers, it was Awad’s ability to effectively pass and run the football that kept them in the game. He was assisted by yet another outstanding running performance from his running back Troy Fletcher. Awad finished the game completing 13 of 20 attempts for 176 yards and two touchdowns, along with 25 rushing yards. Fletcher tallied up 91 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown by the end of the match.

For the Lancers, it was their solid one-two punch featuring their quarterback Logan Gonzalez and running back Desmin Jackson that led the way on offense. Gonzalez completed 22 of his 31 attempts collecting a whopping 267 yards and two touchdowns. Jackson provided the bulk of the offense after carrying the ball 17 times and collecting 76 yards, one touchdown, including 8 receptions for 89 yards.

The Chargers will look to fight their way back into the win column next Friday, on the road against Palos Verdes High School at 7 p.m.