High School Football Game of the Week: Capo Valley vs. Edison

Mike Sciacca, Independent

Almost quietly, the Capistrano Valley-Edison football series has

grown into one of Orange County’s most prolific nonleague games.

Sure, you have Mater Dei-Servite, but those two teams, at one time, or

another, have been league rivals. But for pure, nonleague fare, the

public school battle between the Cougars and Chargers stands alone.

“It’s been a good, fun rivalry,” said Edison Coach Dave White, who has

been involved with all 14 games in the series. “Usually, one or both of

the teams have come into the game with a high ranking, and, usually, the

game’s have been very exciting. Several, in fact, have gone down to the

wire.”

The series opener, which was played in the second week of the 1987

season, set the barometer for the rivalry.

The game was a showcase for two future Division I players, as Capo

Valley quarterback Todd Marinovich (USC) passed for more than 200 yards,

and Edison running back Kaleaph Carter (UCLA) rushed for more than 200

yards. The Chargers misfired on a late two-point conversion, and the

Cougars escaped with a 29-27 victory.

Nobody that night could predict the future of the rivalry, but it has

been played yearly since that September 14 years ago. Capo Valley got the

best of Edison in those early years, but the Chargers have gained ground

the past few seasons in a rivalry which the Cougars lead, 8-4-1. Eight of

the previous 13 games have been decided by a touchdown, or less.

The game, on all but two occasions, has been played the second week of

the season.

“It’s a series that has really developed into a good rivalry,” said

White. “Capo usually always fields solid teams, and I think they’ll be on

the rebound this year.”

The edge favors Edison, which has won the past two years by identical

42-27 scores.

The Chargers balance could have the Cougars (1-0) on the run most of

the night Friday. In last year’s contest, Edison running back Darryl

Poston rushed for 225 yards and three touchdowns on just 16 carries, and

quarterback Richard Schwartz threw for 249 yards on 13 of 18 passing.

Capo Valley also will be looking to break in a new quarterback, as

junior David Frazeur has inherited the reins from the graduated Jeff

Dixon, now at West Point.

Frazeur threw two touchdown passes (one covering 70 yards) and ran 23

yards for another score last Friday during Capo Valley’s season opening

25-13 win over Aliso Niguel.