Edison Gains Big Five Semifinals With 14-13 Victory Over Servite

Quarterback Mike Angelovic flipped the ball high into the air on the final play of the game, signaling the start of a celebration as Edison High School defeated Servite High School, 14-13, Friday night before 7,500 fans at Cerritos College in Norwalk.

Edison (10-2) advanced to the semifinals of the Big Five Conference playoffs, in which it will meet Sunset League rival Westminster. Servite finished with a 9-3 record.

Angelovic had cause to celebrate. The senior completed 20 of 28 passes for 249 yards to overshadow Servite quarterback Tim Rosenkranz. Rosenkranz completed 19 of 33 passes for 207 yards and threw two touchdowns.

But in a game of offensive stars, it was a quarterback sack by Edison nose guard Jim Collins in the final stages of the game that preserved the Edison victory. Servite had driven to Edison’s 30-yard line with four minutes remaining when Collins sacked Rosenkranz for a seven-yard loss.

The play pushed Servite out of the range of sophomore placekicker Pat Blottiaux, who had kicked field goals of 52, 48 and 47 yards the previous week against Long Beach Millikan.

Blottiaux attempted a 54-yard field goal that could have won the game for Servite, but it was five yards short and Edison then ran out the clock.

Blottiaux had missed earlier on attempts of 53 and 43 yards. Each kick was long enough, but both were wide to the left.

Leo Hand, Servite coach, said the best team won.

“They deserved to win,” he said. “They were a better team. We had breakdowns all year long. . . . we’ve been an undisciplined team all year long.”

Servite junior Nick-John Haiduc established a school, single-game receiving record with 12 receptions for 144 yards, breaking the old mark of 11 set by Geoff DeLapp in 1965.

Haiduc’s three-yard catch for a touchdown with 2:08 remaining in the third quarter had moved Servite to within one point of the Edison, but the conversion kick failed.

Afterwards, Workman reflected upon the progress his team has made since a season-opening, 14-0 loss to El Modena.

“I’m estatic,” he said. “If you remember what we looked like in our first game and then saw us tonight, you would know how happy we are with this team. They’re a great group of players who really enjoy playing football.

“We felt we had an advantage in this game with our receivers against their defensive backs. We’re a little faster and I think it showed.”

Wide receiver Rick Justice was the swiftest of the Edison pass receivers, catching six passes for 51 yards. Junior Dan Hughes replaced Ken Griggs when Griggs injured his back and caught three passes for 42 yards.

Both teams played remarkably good football in the first half considering the playing conditions. The field was soggy and slippery following an afternoon rain storm and the players found the footing difficult.

Servite took advantage of the only turnover of the first half to score its first touchdown. Linebacker Jason Rolish set up the score by recovering Edison tailback Kaleaph Carter’s fumble at the Edison 37 in the second quarter.

Rosenkranz threw two consecutive passes to Haiduc to move Servite to the four-yard line and then teamed with Haiduc again on three-yard scoring play with 3:23 left to play in the half for a 7-0 lead.

Edison retaliated by driving 63 yards to score in less than two minutes to tie the game. Angelovic completed six straight passes to move Edison swiftly down the field and Carter capped the drive with a one-yard dive for the score.