Edison Grabs Momentum When Marina Falls Flat

With possible playoff ramifications hanging in the air Tuesday at Edison High, the Marina girls’ soccer team sagged as Edison’s Heidi Prestegard rose to the occasion.

Prestegard scored three goals and assisted on another to lead Edison to a 4-1 victory over Marina in a Sunset League game.

“We knew we really needed this and we went out just to win,” Prestegard said.

The game completed the first round of league play for Edison, 9-8-1 and 3-2. The Chargers’ only league losses are to undefeated Los Alamitos (15-3-2, 5-0) and Esperanza (14-4-1, 3-1-0).

The Vikings (9-6-1, 2-2-0) now face the daunting task of beating the Aztecs, ranked No. 6 in the county, in a makeup game on Monday at Marina in order to stay in the race for one of the league’s three automatic berths in the Southern Section playoffs.

For the Chargers, Loree Tamanaha was playing in her fourth game after knee surgery. Tamanaha was like a backboard in midfield, constantly winning the ball and pounding it back up to her forwards.

Prestegard didn’t waste the opportunity. In the 25th minute, she controlled a throw-in by Kristina Furniss, turned and scored from about 25 yards. She scored again about seven minutes later on a header and moments before the half ended, she assisted on a goal by Annie Benington.

Prestegard scored her final goal on a breakaway in the 75th minute to give Marina a 4-0 lead. Megan Orach scored Marina’s only goal about three minutes later.

If the Vikings fail to make the playoffs, it will be the second consecutive year they have failed to do so after winning three consecutive titles from 1993-95. The Viking players didn’t appear to have that in mind, however, as they came out flat against the Chargers.

“Flat is a nice way to put it,” Marina Coach Jorge Valenzuela said.

In another Sunset League game:

Esperanza 1, Fountain Valley 0--Junior Stacy Jarne scored a goal late in the second half for Esperanza (14-4-1, 3-1). Tracy Sharp had five saves for the shutout. Erin Bottis had eight saves for Fountain Valley (3-9-3, 0-4-1).