Huntington Beach football scores late TD to beat Dana Hills

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DANA POINT — Huntington Beach and Dana Hills on Friday showcased how much their football programs have changed since they last played in 2003.

The schools entered their Delta League as two of the eight remaining undefeated teams in Orange County.

The Oilers and Dolphins had lofty Orange County rankings, prized collegiate recruits and even a “bounce off” before the fourth quarter.

It was a much brighter spotlight than 23 years ago, and Huntington Beach continued to stand out.

Brady Edmunds threw two touchdowns, scored the go-ahead points on a run and played defense in the final seconds to lead Huntington Beach past host Dana Hills 21-16 in a back-and-forth game.

Edmunds, an Ohio State commit, scored on a 12-yard touchdown run to give Huntington Beach (7-0, 2-0) a 21-16 lead with 4:14 left in the fourth.

The Dolphins (6-1, 1-1) stopped Dylin Bruce on the 2-point conversion but the Arizona State committed senior set up Edmunds’ score with a 45-yard punt return to the Dana Hills 24.

The Dolphins drove to Oilers 15 on their final possession but Huntington Beach forced three consecutive incompletions in the final 1:01 to seal the win. Edmunds played defensive end on third and fourth down.

“I was in coach (Matthew) Hatchette’s ear for about that entire drive saying no one wants it more than me,” said Edmunds, who passed for 211 yards. “Big-time players make big-time plays at big-time moments. We got a lot of big-time players.”

Bruce delivered on his lone punt return.

“I was hungry to get one,” the senior said. “I’m proud of my guys. We always work situation everyday. We fought through adversity.”

Huntington Beach, ranked No. 10 in Orange County, is off to its best start since 1993. That team included future NFL Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez.

Before the fourth quarter, the teams both jumped to music on their sidelines to draw offsetting penalties.

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No. 17 Dana Hills scored nine points in the third quarter to take a 16-15 lead.

Enzo Gallo first broke a 66-yard touchdown run.

After a 2-point conversion was wiped out by a penalty, the Dolphins’  London Getz recovered a pooch kick. That led to a 27-yard field goal by Enzo Carpino for a 16-15 lead on the final play of the third.

The Dolphins settled for the field goal after driving to the Oilers 1.

Gallo finished with 173 yards. Dana Hills’ Carter Anderson passed for 204 yards. Jack Norman had 10 catches for 150 yards.

“I’m really proud of them,” Dana Hills coach Tony Henney said of his team. “They made a couple more plays than we did.”

Huntington Beach capitalized on an interception by its defense to take a 15-7 lead into halftime.

Edmunds tossed an 18-yard touchdown pass to Bruce with 33 seconds left in the second quarter to snap a 7-7 tie.

Edmunds ran in the 2-point conversion. The Oilers attempted to kick the extra-point but after a snafu on the attempt, the Dolphins were called for pass interference. That brough Edmunds back on the field.

Huntington Beach scored after defensive lineman Kaz Abdollahian leaped to make an interception at the Oilers 45 with 4:32 left in the second quarter. The junior jumped to knock down a pass and grabbed his own deflection.

Edmunds started fast. He converted twice on fourth-down on the Oilers’ opening possession. He capped an 80-yard march with a 21-yard touchdown to University of North Carolina commit Skylar Robinson on fourth-and-1.

Dana Hills responded with a seven-play, 81-yard scoring drive capped a 17-yard run by Gallo.

The Dolphins’ best defensive moment of the first half was a fourth-down stop from its 3 with five seconds left in the first quarter.

Next week on Thursday, Oct. 15, Huntington Beach plays at Western. On Friday, Oct. 16, Dana Hills plays at Laguna Beach.

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