A game like no other

As has been the case in seven of their previous eight games during the 2006 prep football season, the Edison Chargers will line up for kickoff at 7 p.m. Friday.

Business as usual, right?

Well, although the Chargers coaching staff is treating the game at Orange Coast College as such, it’s hardly another routine game.

It’s Fountain Valley.

And it’s for “The Bell.”

The annual battle between the two rivals has very few equals when it comes to county rivalries. The passion, the emotion and the sight of The Bell — the trophy awarded to the victor of this slugfest — sitting in the back of one end zone during the game riles up students at both schools like no other game on the schedule.

Friday marks the 39th renewal (the teams met twice during a memorable 1980 season) of a get together that began in 1969 and the game will again draw a standing-room-only crowd in excess of 8,000 to LeBard Stadium.

“It’s just a great rivalry,” said Edison Coach Dave White, who has also played in it. “It’s a busy week on campus and we tell the kids not to get too caught up in it. It’s all about keeping focus in practice all week leading up to the game. At 7 p.m. Friday, it’s just another kickoff.”

The Sunset League contest has big implications for both sides.

Fountain Valley (5-3, 1-2) needs a victory to stay in contention for a playoff berth. A win by Edison (6-2, 2-1) , however, will set the Chargers up for a title-deciding matchup on Nov. 9 against Los Alamitos.

Los Alamitos holds a one-game lead in the league standings over both Edison and Esperanza with two games left in the regular season. Los Al and Esperanza have their own showdown Friday.

The Chargers bounced back from their worst defeat in eight years last week with a 37-6 pounding of a Newport Harbor team that had surprised Esperanza — a team that had blanked Edison, 38-0, the week prior — and fell by two points to Los Alamitos during the first two weeks of league play.

Nick Crissman threw for a career-high 374 yards and four touchdowns. The junior hooked up with Dominique Vinson twice and Hunter White and Jacob Slaton once against the Sailors. Hunter White also rushed for another score.

Fountain Valley is a much-improved team from a year ago, but the Barons are coming off a 30-14 loss Saturday to Esperanza. The Barons gained more total yards than the Aztecs and trailed just 10-6 heading into the fourth quarter. Quarterback Bryce Blake threw for nearly 200 yards and ran for a touchdown in the loss.

Other Friday games:

Marina (1-7, 0-3) vs. Newport Harbor (4-4, 1-2)

(at Newport Harbor High, 7 p.m.)

Two schools that have meet annually in nonleague play in the past decade meet in Sunset League action.

Marina lost last week to Los Alamitos, 38-0, and has not won a league game since November 2004. Newport Harbor needs a victory to keep its postseason playoff hopes alive. Before last week’s 37-0 loss to Edison, the Sailors defense had shut out three opponents and held another to a touchdown.

Last year’s score: Sailors 21, Vikings 17

Woodbridge (4-4, 0-3) vs.

Huntington Beach (5-3, 1-2)

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

Another school in need of a win in order to position itself for a playoff berth, Huntington Beach hosts Woodbridge in the first Sea View League meeting between the teams.

The Oilers are coming off a 20-17 road loss to El Toro. Stephen Gabbard and Johnny Olivé each rushed for touchdowns and Clayton Prestrige booted a 20-yard field goal for the Oilers.

Woodbridge saw its losing streak reach three games on Oct. 26 with a 27-13 setback against Trabuco Hills, a team that had defeated Huntington, 17-10, on Oct. 13.

The teams did not meet last year.

Ocean View (2-6, 1-2) at Orange (4-4, 1-2)

(at El Modena High, 7 p.m.)

A key game in the Golden West League standings will unfold when the Seahawks and Panthers tangle at El Modena High, as both schools need a win if they hope to hold on to playoff aspirations.

Ocean View dropped its second consecutive league game last week when the Seahawks were defeated by co-league leader Westminster, 42-3. Their lone score came on a 37-yard field goal by Danny Guillen.

Orange fell victim to a fourth-quarter comeback by co-league leader Saddleback that left the Panthers with a 28-24 defeat last week. Orange’s run-oriented offense finished with 250 yards in the loss.

Last year’s score: Panthers 46, Seahawks 7.