DIVISION 3
Edison (12-1) vs. La Mirada (11-2)
Where, when: La Mirada High, Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Live coverage: Fox Sports Prime Ticket, 8 p.m. (tape delay)
Fan info: General admission, $12; students (with valid school ID) and children, $5.
Outlook: The top-two seeded teams in the divisions square off in what could be a tightly played game. Edison and La Mirada have collectively lost three games, each dropping a contest to Mater Dei, while La Mirada also fell to St. John Bosco. The Matadores have fared well against Orange County teams this season, knocking off three teams in the county’s top 10 – Orange Lutheran, San Clemente and Los Alamitos. Senior running back Nick Hernandez returned from an injury sustained in the first round last week and bulldozed his way to 142 yards on 39 carries in a 36-20 victory over Los Alamitos. Look for the Matadores to pound the ball with Hernandez again. That could set up an efficient passing attack led by quarterback Tristan Meyer, who has tossed 35 touchdowns to just one interception and has completed 70 percent of his passes. Edison, with proven playmakers on the outside in Shaun Colamonico, EJ Ginnis and David Atencio, will counter with a spread attack that quarterback Griffin O’Connor currently has purring. During the Chargers’ eight-game win streak, O’Connor has averaged nearly 260 passing yards an outing and has tossed 23 touchdowns to two interceptions. He also ran for six scores. “One of our assistant coaches said it best the other day, ‘The reason we won last week was because of our quarterback play,’” Edison coach Dave White said. With two contrasting offensive styles clashing, the squad that dictates the tempo will give itself a leg up in this one. And as if the Chargers needed any added motivation, they will look to capture White’s second career CIF-SS championship, which would also extend his tenure at least another week with the regional bowl games ahead.
Contact the writer: kconnolly@scng.com
