Pregame Fatality Mars Edison Victory

Huntington Beach Edison High Coach Dave White rubbed a hand through his short, gray hair and paused for several agonizing moments to reflect.

White’s Chargers, No. 5 in The Times’ rankings, had just stormed back from a 21-point deficit to defeat No. 21 Anaheim Servite, 28-21, Friday night at Huntington Beach High. But the outcome seemed insignificant considering that one of White’s former players was found dead in his parents’ home earlier in the day.

“What do you say to a mom who has just lost her only son?” said White, his eyes welling.

Dustin Brown, a 2000 Edison graduate who played defensive end for White in 1999 until a cracked vertebrae ended his career midseason, suffered a seizure Thursday night and suffocated on his pillow, according to White.

Brown had been diagnosed in early childhood as epileptic.

A moment of silence was held in Brown’s honor before the game, and Edison (4-0) came out sluggishly as Servite (4-1) built a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter.

But the Chargers rallied with 28 consecutive points behind receiver Denny Flanagan’s three-touchdown, 159-yard performance.

Flanagan scored on his eighth reception, a 67-yard catch-and-run with 1 minute 56 seconds remaining, to finish the comeback.

Servite kicker Mike Lawrence had lined up for a 20-yard field goal on the previous play, but the kick was blocked by Edison defensive back A.J. Martinez, who had a 10-yard touchdown run earlier in the quarter.

The Chargers gained 306 of their 345 yards in the second half, thanks in large part to quarterback Tommy Grady, who finished having completed 14 of 24 passes for 267 yards and three touchdowns.

Ben Bolch

*

No. 13 Bishop Amat 34, No. 22 Chino Hills Ayala 21--Senior Donnie McCleskey scored four touchdowns and gained 189 yards in 22 carries to lead the Lancers (4-0) at Ayala High.

McCleskey rushed for three touchdowns, increasing his season total to 12, but his most impressive score came in the fourth quarter when he took a short screen pass from Michael Lange, cut back across the field and broke eight tackles on his way to a 60-yard touchdown.

After Ayala (1-2-1) opened the game with a 15-play, 80-yard drive, capped by a one-yard score by Justin Wolfchief, the rest of the game belonged to McCleskey, who scored on runs of one, four and 59 yards.

Darius Reid scored the other touchdown for the Lancers (4-0) on a 31-yard pass from Lange, who completed seven of 13 passes for 147 yards with one interception.

Adam Simon had two interceptions for Bishop Amat, both leading to touchdowns.

Ayala quarterback Charlie Douglas completed 11 of 14 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns with one interception.

Melanie Neff

*

No. 16 Long Beach Jordan 20, Compton Dominguez 16--Quarterback Cameron Smith squirted through the line on a one-yard sneak and the winning touchdown with 1:20 left to play at Dominguez High.

Smith’s run was his third one-yard touchdown run of the game.

And it capped a 13-play, 72-yard drive that began when Kevin Woods blocked a field-goal attempt and Jordan (3-1) recovered at the Dominguez 28-yard line with 5:23 to play.

Dominguez (1-3) nearly took back the lead when Justin Wyatt returned the ensuing kickoff 80 yards for an apparent touchdown, but the runback was negated by a clipping penalty.

Dominguez, which led, 9-7, at halftime, extended its lead to 16-7 when Jason President ran 58 yards for a score on the first play from scrimmage of the second half.

Smith got the Panthers to within 16-14 on a one-yard sneak with 11:54 left in the game.

Smith finished with 62 yards in nine carries and completed 12 of 25 passes for 146 yards. Running back Grant McCray added 71 yards in 19 carries for Jordan.

Peter Yoon

*

Tustin 36, No. 11 Santa Margarita 33--Richard Rowland scored five touchdowns, including the game-winner from one yard with 1:59 remaining to play for visiting Tustin (3-2) at Saddleback College.

Quarterback Marshall Tharpe completed 23 of 29 passes for 296 yards and three touchdowns for Santa Margarita (2-1-1).