By Ted Apodaca

In a high-scoring shootout, Huntington Beach High got enough key defensive plays down the stretch to pull away from Western High for a 56-39 victory in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 5 football playoffs on Friday at Huntington Beach High.

The offenses, both led by sophomore quarterbacks, exchanged big plays for touchdowns, or to set up touchdowns as the two teams exchanged leads three times in the first half. But late in the third quarter, it was an interception by Huntington Beach’s Nicolas Navarette that set up a touchdown by quarterback Brady Edmunds, which gave the Oilers a 42-27 lead. 

Oiler Head Coach Brett Brown noted a key defensive turnover, as well as some defensive stops late in the game as how the Oilers were able to hold off Western. He also said the run game was steady down the stretch.

“We were able to run the ball, you know, to control the clock a little bit, so I was proud of our team, I thought it was a whole team effort,” Brown said. 

Western continued to chase, but the cushion was enough for the Oilers to hold off the remaining challenges. The Pioneers answered with a screen pass to running back Malachi Alatorre that he took 52 yards down the sideline for a touchdown that cut the lead to 42-33.

Huntington Beach blocked the point-after kick and when Western attempted an onside kick on the ensuing kickoff, Oiler senior Trent Clark snatched the ball on a bounce and was able to sprint to the end zone for a touchdown and a 49-33 Oiler lead. 

“I am so proud of the way the boys fought not only tonight, but all year long,” Western Head coach Dan Davidson said. 

Along with his rushing touchdown, Edmunds threw for 233 yards and four touchdowns. The Oiler run game compiled 174 yards, led by Micah Riola, who had 110 yards and a touchdown. Pioneer quarterback Chance Thomas was able to throw for 320 yards and three touchdowns and also ran for 67 yards and another touchdown. Thomas capped the Pioneers’ game-opening drive with a touchdown run that gave Western an early 6-0 lead.

Alatorre, a senior, finished with more than 100 yards rushing and 100 receiving, while scoring three touchdowns. One of his touchdowns was a 77-yard run as he broke several tackles along the way and got the Pioneers within one point of the Oilers, 28-27. Senior Julian Amezcua was key in the passing game with 15 catches for 165 yards.

For the Oilers, junior Steel Kurtz had six catches for 59 yards and a touchdown and junior Troy Foster grabbed five passes for 95 yards and a touchdown. Senior Niko Lopez had five catches and a touchdown, while senior Gabe Bryant had a key touchdown reception late in the second quarter that gave the Oilers a 21-19 lead at halftime.   

The Pioneers finished the season at 5-6 overall. Davidson said his team made too many mistakes to keep pace with a team “as strong as HB,” but expressed optimism for the young team moving forward and the effort of this year’s team.

“You always hate for the season to end, but so blessed to share this journey with each and every player,” Davidson said. 

The Oilers improved to 7-4 and were 3-2 in the Epsilon League. Brown said that many of their games this season were close games that were either won or lost in the final quarter, so that experience possibly helped.

“We’ve been in a lot of close games this year and, you know, for us, I think that gave us the strength or, you know, whatever it is to be able to finish a good team, well coached by coach Davidson, with some really good athletes over there, too,” Brown said. 

The Oilers move on to face Summit High of Fontana, which was the first-place team out of the Sunkist League. Summit is coming off a 37-7 win over Torrance High. The game will be played at 7 p.m. on Friday at AB Miller High School in Fontana.