Chargers, Monarchs go at it again

The Edison High football team had the last week off from

competition and was able to work on mending its ways.

Not only did it get the season off to a rough start -- going 0-2

out of the gate before routing Capistrano Valley on Sept. 20 -- but

the Chargers also got banged up a bit in the process.

Strong safety Dayne Acosta and offensive guard Tua Fuga have each

suffered torn anterior cruciate ligaments, with Fuga being lost for

the season and scheduled for surgery this week. Another offensive

guard, Robert Barna, is out with a dislocated knee cap. In addition,

inside linebacker Bubba Reynolds tore his medial collateral ligament.

“We managed to escape injuries last year, but we’ve been hit hard

this season, and early in the season, too,” Edison coach Dave White

said.

All four injured players are starters, which means the Chargers

(1-2) will be a bit short-handed over the next four games in terms of

experience as they take head-on a murderous schedule that begins

Friday with a date against Mater Dei at Orange Coast College’s LeBard

Stadium.

Kickoff between Mater Dei and Edison, two of Orange County’s top

programs when it comes to tradition, is set for 7 p.m.

After Friday’s tilt, the Chargers will battle Servite, Esperanza

and Fountain Valley on successive weekends.

“We’ll need some other players to really step it up in order to be

competitive against that schedule,” White said.

Mater Dei is coming off a 16-13 win over J.W. North in a game that

saw the Monarchs contain a strong Huskies rushing attack to improve

to 2-1.

Quarterback Jason Forcier threw for 173 yards and two touchdowns,

including a 14-yard scoring pass to running back Rafael Rice, who

rushed for 104 yards.

The performances by Forcier and Rice were the best of the season

for each.

By defeating J.W. North, Mater Dei successfully bounced back from

a 21-19 setback at the hands of Mission Viejo, the county’s

top-ranked team.

The Monarchs, different from past Mater Dei teams in that they are

more of an option team in 2002, rotate between Forcier, a sophomore,

and senior Jessie Mier, at quarterback.

“There defense has been really solid but they’ve been turning the

ball over somewhat on offense,” White said. “It’s been a fun series

and I’m sure they’ll have revenge on their mind Friday night. But

we’re hungry, too.”

Edison turned a trick during the 2001 season that few, if any,

schools have managed to do, and that is defeat Mater Dei twice in the

same season. One of those victories was a 41-7 shellacking of the

Monarchs in the Division I semifinals last November.

The Edison-Mater Dei series

’76 Monarchs 28, Chargers 20

’77 Chargers 42, Monarchs 21

’78 Chargers 14, Monarchs 6

’79 Chargers 14, Monarchs 7

’80 Chargers 35, Monarchs 7

’81 Chargers 48, Monarchs 24

’82 Chargers 7, Monarchs 7

’83 Chargers 22, Monarchs 7

’86 Chargers 34, Monarchs 17

’87 Monarchs 20, Chargers 10

’88 Chargers 21, Monarchs 9

’89 Monarchs 21, Chargers 14

’00 Monarchs 42, Chargers 10

’01 Chargers 20, Monarchs 13

’01 Chargers 41, Monarchs 7

(met twice in 2001, including CIF)

(Edison leads, 10-4-1)

Tonight’s game:

Marina (1-2) vs. Orange Lutheran (1-2)

(at Brea-Olinda High, 7 p.m.)

Orange Lutheran, a Division VI school, will be taking on its third

Division I opponent of the season tonight.

The Lancers have already battled Mater Dei and Servite, a failed

two-point conversion pass the difference in what would have been a

huge upset of Mater Dei in the first week of the season.

Servite easily handled Orange Lutheran the next week, but last

Friday the Lancers got their first win at the expense of Santa Paula

as receiver Anthony Vernaglia caught seven passes, including one for

a touchdown, totaling 121 yards.

Marina may be the best 1-2 team in the county.

The Vikings were coming off a tough loss to Newport Harbor when

they traveled to Mission Viejo last Friday and the Diablos, Orange

County’s top-ranked team, needed a late score to pull out 10-7 win.

Last year’s score: Orange Lutheran 42, Marina 35

Friday’s other games:

Laguna Hills (2-1) vs. Huntington Beach (2-1)

(at Huntington Beach High, 7 p.m.)

This nonleague meeting between the Hawks and Oilers could turn out

to be an offensive affair.

Laguna Hills bounced Jurupa Valley last Friday, scoring on all six

of its first half possessions en route to a 54-14 victory. Running

back Lorenzo Jackson rushed for three touchdowns and gained 67 yards

on 11 carries.

“They’re a pretty tough football team,” Huntington Beach coach

Mike Groscost said of the Hawks. “I think we’re two evenly matched

teams.”

Groscost has been getting outstanding play from his offensive

line, which sprung the way last Friday for running back Patrick

Harrigan. The senior rushed for 306 yards and three touchdowns in a

36-7 pasting of Capistrano Valley.

The teams did not meet in 2001.

Costa Mesa (1-2) vs. Ocean View (1-2)

(at Westminster High, 7 p.m.)

Ocean View came up with a spirited rally last week to score their

initial victory of the season, a 31-27 come-from-behind victory over

previously undefeated Century.

The Seahawks did it by outscoring the Centurions, 22-0, in the

second half. Junior running back Aaron Gonya contributed to the big

night with 213 yards and scored on a 55-yard run, and quarterback

Alex Hickerson and Rick Sweetin hooked up on scoring pass plays

covering 24 and 25 yards.

Costa Mesa is coming off a 14-7 loss to Laguna Beach. Mustang

running back Keola Asuega has rushed for four touchdowns in three

games.

Last year’s score: Costa Mesa 53, Ocean View 12