Edison football tops Newport Harbor, improves to 7-0
Perfection is near unattainable, but there are few words that better describe the performance of Edison High quarterback Parker Awad on Friday night.
Awad compiled 346 total yards and four touchdowns, leading the visiting Chargers to a 47-14 win over Newport Harbor in a Sunset League game at Davidson Field.
The senior quarterback threw for 318 yards and three touchdowns, completing deep balls and backhanded tosses alike for Edison (7-0, 2-0). Awad threw his only incomplete pass on the final of his 14 attempts on a shot to the back left corner of the end zone intended for Jackson Irwin.
Edison coach Jeff Grady discussed Awad’s work ethic in practice after watching his quarterback complete his first 13 passes.
“Even when he’s not in, on video, you can see him going through when someone else is in, he gets a mental rep and he gets a physical rep, and he goes through his drop, goes through his reads and makes his throws,” Grady said after watching Awad complete his first 13 passes. “I’m not surprised. He’s a special guy.”
Awad had a 60-yard touchdown pass to Mason York to open the scoring, and after Newport Harbor tied the score, he answered by airing the ball out again. Ashton Hurley simply had to run under the ball, never breaking stride on an 88-yard touchdown on the first play of the drive.
“I think us taking that shot shows our explosiveness, and it was a fun play,” Hurley said. “It was a perfect pass. Unbelievable.”
Hurley was especially elusive, turning his five catches into 193 yards. The only one that did not result in a first down was one in which he went in motion to the left, taking the swing pass and being stopped at the 1-yard line. Awad scored on a quarterback keeper on the next play to extend Edison’s lead to 21-7 midway through the second quarter.
Newport Harbor (4-3, 0-2) showed staying power with its passing game, Josiah Lamarque making three catches for 59 yards and a touchdown on the next possession — a five-play, 61-yard drive that had begun with a sack by Jake Giles.
Colton Joseph, a transfer from San Juan Hills, threw for 233 yards and two touchdowns. The first energized the Sailors early, as Newport Harbor opted to go for a fourth-and-19 at the Edison 30. Kashton Henjum was the target on the deep ball, making the grab while running to the back of the end zone and getting his left foot down, tying the score at 7-7.
Edison’s defense would be heard from in the second half, though. Effective defensive line play, combined with the coverage of Malachi Pierce and Hurley, led to a five-sack night for the Chargers.
The pass rush was also felt on a pass from Joseph that ended up in the arms of Carter Hogue, who returned the interception 59 yards for a touchdown. Hogue also had a short-yardage rushing touchdown off an option play in a third quarter where the Chargers outscored the Sailors 19-0.
Hunter Venham and Giles both had 1½ sacks, and Martin Kai and Irwin each had one. Michael Deliz and Irwin were also among the Chargers who stopped running plays for a loss.
“I think we played good team defense,” Grady said. “I think the guys rely on one another to do what they’re supposed to do. When you get guys to do what they’re supposed to do, it kind of gives others opportunities, and they’ve been opportunistic.”
Alexe Pappageorge had a sack for Newport Harbor, which takes on Fountain Valley (4-3, 0-2) on Friday, Oct. 14 at home.
Newport Harbor coach Peter Lofthouse said his team was frustrated with its execution in the loss, but he added the Sailors still have an opportunity in front of them.
“This has just become a three-game season,” Lofthouse said. “We’ve got to win the next three if we want to be able to guarantee ourselves an opportunity and an automatic bid, and if we don’t win the next three, then we’re going to put ourselves in a position that we must get at least one to give ourselves a shot at an at-large berth, but when you do that, [applying for] an at-large berth does not guarantee you playoffs.”
Edison will play host to Los Alamitos (5-2, 2-0) in a battle for first place in the Sunset League on Thursday, Oct. 13 at Huntington Beach High.
Giles said that the Chargers put an emphasis on not looking ahead to Los Alamitos, but now the clock is ticking down to the showdown with the Griffins.
“I think we’ll come out firing in that game,” Giles said.
Sunset League
Edison 47, Newport Harbor 14
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Edison 7 – 21 – 19 – 0 — 47
Newport Harbor 0 – 7 – 7 – 0 — 14
FIRST QUARTER
E — York 60 pass from Awad (Preston kick), 3:31.
SECOND QUARTER
NH — Henjum 30 pass from Joseph (Richardson kick), 10:31.
E — Hurley 88 pass from Awad (Preston kick), 10:15.
E — Awad 1 run (Preston kick), 6:01.
NH — Lamarque 2 pass from Joseph (Richardson kick), 2:53.
E — Hurley 30 pass from Awad (Preston kick), 0:43.
THIRD QUARTER
E — Hogue 1 run (Preston kick), 8:50.
E — Safety (tackle in end zone).
E — Hogue 59 interception return (Preston kick), 6:23.
E — Preston 29 FG, 1:31.
FOURTH QUARTER
None.
INDIVIDUAL RUSHING
E — Hogue, 5-67, 2 TDs.
NH — Irving, 7-12.
INDIVIDUAL PASSING
E — Awad, 13-14-0, 318, 2 TDs.
NH — Joseph, 19-31-1, 233, 2 TDs.
INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING
E — Hurley, 5-193, 2 TDs; York, 3-86, 1 TD.
NH — Lamarque, 6-90, 1 TD; Henjum, 7-85, 1 TD.
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