Huntington Beach’s Skylar Robinson (8) grabs for the ball but was called out of bounds, September 18, 2026, during a Friday night football game against Yorba Linda at Huntington Beach High. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Huntington Beach’s Skylar Robinson (8) holds onto the ball as Isaiah Trujillo (7) of Yorba Linda takes him down, September 18, 2026, during a Friday night football game at Huntington Beach High. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Yorba Linda’s Maddex Schroeder (18) takes the ball down the field during a game against Huntington Beach, September 18, 2026, during a Friday night football game at Huntington Beach High. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Yorba Linda’s Maddex Schroeder (18) takes the ball to the 1-yard line as Maxx Hopkins (14) of Huntington Beach takes him down, September 18, 2026, during a Friday night football game at Huntington Beach High. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Huntington Beach’s Jacob Gonzales (31) runs with the ball as Micheal Deep (94) of Yorba Linda grabs on, September 18, 2026, during a Friday night football game at Huntington Beach High. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Yorba Linda’s quarterback Andrew Churney (19) throws a completed pass against Huntington Beach, September 18, 2026, during a Friday night football game at Huntington Beach High. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Yorba Linda’s Aaron Burrell (23) pushes Nicolas Navarette (3) of Huntington Beach out of bounds, September 18, 2026, during a Friday night football game at Huntington Beach High. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Huntington Beach’s Skylar Robinson (8) takes the ball past Isaiah Trujillo (7) of Yorba Linda, September 18, 2026, during a Friday night football game at Huntington Beach High. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Connor Mackay (10) of Yorba Linda tries to hold onto the ball on the 1-yard line as Jimmel Champion (1) of Huntington Beach blocks the pass, September 18, 2026, during a Friday night football game at Huntington Beach High. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Jacob Gonzales (31) of Huntington Beach runs with the ball as Yorba Linda’s Taj Lagraffe (5) grabs on, September 18, 2026, during a Friday night football game at Huntington Beach High. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Huntington Beach students cheer on their team, September 18, 2026, at the start of the Huntington Beach verses Yorba Linda football game. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
The Yorba Linda football team takes the field, September 18, 2026, at the start of the Huntington Beach verses Yorba Linda football game. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
The Huntington Beach Flag team performs, September 18, 2026, at the start of the Huntington Beach verses Yorba Linda football game. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
The Huntington Beach Marching Band plays the National Anthem, September 18, 2026, at the start of the Huntington Beach verses Yorba Linda football game. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
The Huntington Beach Marching Band plays the National Anthem, September 18, 2026, at the start of the Huntington Beach verses Yorba Linda football game. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Huntington Beach Cheerleaders lead the football team on the field, September 18, 2026, at the start of the Huntington Beach verses Yorba Linda football game. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
The Huntington Beach Guards cheer on their team, September 18, 2026, at the start of the Huntington Beach verses Yorba Linda football game. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
HUNTINGTON BEACH — The Huntington Beach football team faced setback after setback up to and including the final drive of its nonleague game against Yorba Linda on Friday at Huntington Beach High School.
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But with a quarterback the likes of Brady Edmunds and a corps of playmaking receivers, nothing is insurmountable.
Edmunds connected with Nicolas Navarette for a 26-yard touchdown in the game’s final seconds to lift the Oilers to a 29-25 victory over the Mustangs.
The real magic happened earlier in the drive when the Mustangs were ahead 25-21 and the Oilers (5-0), who are ranked No. 12 in Orange County, faced a fourth-and-19 from the Huntington Beach 29 with under a minute remaining.
That’s when Edmunds threw a perfect pass to Skyler Robinson along the right sideline for a 32-yard gain.
One play earlier, Edmunds was sacked for a 10-yard loss by Taj Lagraffe, Landon Pearson and Michael Deep.
After the 32-yard gain, Edmunds completed passes of 3 and 8 yards before delivering the game-winner to Navarette, who made some sharp moves to get a clear path to the end zone.
“Skyler and Dylan (Bruce) … everybody made big-time plays tonight,” Edmunds said. “We work these situations all the time in practice — 30 seconds, no timeouts. We do it every single day.”
Earlier in the quarter, No. 11 Yorba Linda (4-1) was trailing 21-19 when quarterback Andrew Churney guided the Mustangs on a fine drive as well.
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The Mustangs drove 57 yards, with Isaiah Trujillo capping the drive with a one-yard touchdown run to give Yorba Linda the lead.
Trujillo scored all four of the Mustangs’ touchdowns and finished with 153 yards on 23 carries.
“They just believed,” Huntington Beach coach Matthew Hatchette said. “And they went out there and executed. They didn’t panic, which a lot of players would do in that situation, and they didn’t panic.”
Yorba Linda coach Richi Burrell praised his team after the game.
“You left it all on the field,” Burrell told his players. “You balled until there were zeros on the clock. Sometimes it doesn’t always go our way.”
The first-year coach said the game provided a good test for the Alpha League schedule, when opponents will include some of the county’s top teams such as Mission Viejo, Los Alamitos and San Clemente.
The Oilers will also face a tough schedule in the Delta League, where they will face off against El Modena and Dana Hills, which are both undefeated.
Huntington Beach had two touchdowns called back on holding penalties in the first half — the first was a 98-yard punt return and the second was a 33-yard pass play.
The Oilers put together long drives in the half but had them derailed by penalties and clutch defensive plays by the Mustangs.
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