Edison hosts second-seeded Loyola on Friday

Mike Sciacca

Looking to win the school’s first CIF Southern Section title in 15

years, the Edison High School football team will try to keep that dream

alive Friday (7:30 p.m.), when the Chargers will host second-seeded

Loyola of Los Angeles in a Division I second-round matchup at Orange

Coast College.

Edison (9-2), the 2000 Sunset League champion, recorded its first

postseason victory in seven years Friday night by defeating Servite in

opening-round play, 24-19. Senior running back and the school’s career

rushing leader, Darryl Poston, keyed the victory by rushing for 233 yards

and scoring two touchdowns, giving him a school-record 49 career

touchdowns.

Del Rey League champion Loyola (10-1) kept its title drive alive with

an easy 35-6 first-round decision over Rialto on Friday. The Lions are

led by Matt Ware, a senior UCLA-bound quarterback/free safety/punt

returner; sophomore running sensation Rafael Rice, who has rushed for

1,290 yards in 11 games; and senior cornerback Greg Kavulich.

“They’re just a solid team all around,” Edison Coach Dave White said.

“Ware is a tremendous athlete who can beat you in a lot of ways, and

their defense is tough as usual. We’ll need our best effort of the season

in order to win.”

Edison and Loyola have one common opponent this year: Mater Dei. Back

in the fourth week of the regular season, the Chargers dropped a 42-10

game to the Monarchs. On Oct. 21, Mater Dei edged Loyola, 24-21.

Both schools have storied football histories but have met just one

previous time in postseason play, that coming in 1991, when Loyola pulled

out a 20-13 victory in another second-round game, also played at Orange

Coast College.

With a victory Friday, Edison will notch its first 10 win season since

the 1989 Chargers went 10-3.

THE RECORDS

LOYOLA (10-1)

42 St. Ignacius (SF) 7

17 Narbonne 7

45 Santa Barbara 0

28 Muir 6

24 Hart 16

49 St. John Bosco 13

21 Mater Dei 24

41 Alemany 10

23 Bishop Amat 10

21 St. Paul 14

35 Rialto* 6

(*Denotes playoff victory)

EDISON (9-2)

21 El Toro 18

30 Capo Valley 7

42 Dana Hills 21

10 Mater Dei 42

35 Servite 33

28 Huntington Beach 10

29 Los Alamitos 14

28 Marina 3

16 Fountain Valley 3

43 Esperanza 49

24 Servite* 19

(*Denotes playoff victory)