Belitz Runs Amok in Backfield to Lead Edison Past Eldorado
With his team behind by two points and time running out, Edison defensive end Ryan Belitz drew on the simplest of objectives.
Run at quarterback.
Hit quarterback.
Get football.
Belitz did all three in the final three minutes, recording two sacks and recovering a fumble to set up the winning touchdown as Edison rallied from a nine-point deficit for a 32-26 victory over Las Vegas Eldorado Friday night at Orange Coast College.
Edison was trailing, 26-24, with 2 minutes 25 seconds left when Belitz, a 5-foot-8, 175-pound senior, recovered a mishandled handoff by running back Dewayne Nobles at the Eldorado nine-yard line. Belitz also sacked Eldorado’s Mike Tollefson for losses of six and 15 yards.
“I saw the holes in their line and I did what I was taught to do,” Belitz said. “I saw the (fumbled) ball, and I figured I had better jump on it before they do.”
Two plays later, running back Travis Balding scored from the one to make it 30-26 with 1:20 remaining. John Khamis threw a two-point conversion pass to Steve Blanchard to push the lead to 32-26.
Eldorado (4-1) got the ball back, but Belitz sacked Tollefson for a 14-yard loss, and Tollefson’s fourth-down, desperation pass attempt to Nobles fell short.
“We had a lot of great defensive plays in this game,” Edison Coach Dave White said. “Our offense put us in a hole with a couple of turnovers, but when we needed a big defensive play, we got it.”
The Chargers, 2-1 and ranked eighth in Orange County, also got some big offensive plays out of Khamis and tight end Rod Lippincott. Khamis completed 19 of 33 passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns, including two to Lippincott.
Lippincott, who caught eight passes for 93 yards, scored on receptions of seven yards with five minutes left in the third quarter and 10 yards with 3:21 left in the fourth quarter. His second touchdown reception cut Eldorado’s nine-point lead to 26-24.
Eldorado wide receiver Quincy Harrison caused the Chargers fits in the second half, scoring on a 70-yard reception that gave Eldorado an 18-17 lead with 4:25 left in the third quarter. Harrison finished with 176 yards in seven receptions.
Eldorado pushed the lead to 26-17 when Chris Myers scored on a 17-yard run and Cliff Robinson caught a two-point conversion pass from Tollefson with 10:43 left in the game.