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San Clemente wide receiver Cian Smith scores a touchdown on a pass play against Edison in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 20, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
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San Clemente wide receiver Cole Batson, left, hits Edison wide receiver Nathan Nabal to break up a pass in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 20, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
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Edison running back Kobe Lopez, center, fumbles the ball as he is hit by San Clemente linebacker Dylan Lynch, right, in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 20, 2018. The Tritons recovered the ball. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
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As Dean Westerberg celebrates, San Clemente’s Cole Batson, right, holds up the ball after the Tritons recovered a fumble by Edison in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 20, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
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Edison’s Mike Walters gets ready to push away San Clemente wide receiver Cole Batson as he runs into the end zone for the touchdown in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 20, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
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San Clemente cornerback Jake Brannon, center, celebrates with teammates Cole Batson, left, and linebacker Kade Court, right, after intercepting an Edison pass in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 20, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
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Edison’s Isaiah Palmer, left, intercepts a pass intended for San Clemente wide receiver Jaydel Jenkins in the second quarter in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 20, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
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Edison wide receiver Isaiah Palmer, left, intercepts a pass intended for San Clemente wide receiver Jaydel Jenkins in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 20, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
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San Clemente quarterback Brendan Costello, right, runs past Edison linebacker Luke Hoggard and into the end zone on a quarterback keeper to score a touchdown in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 20, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
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Edison wide receiver Nathan Nabal, makes the catch as he is hit by San Clemente cornerback Jake Brannon in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 20, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
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Edison quarterback Braeden Boyles fires a pass against San Clemente in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 20, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
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Edison quarterback Braeden Boyles, center, can’t run away from San Clemente linebacker Kade Court, left, and Cole Batson late in the fourth quarter in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 20, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
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Edison coach Jeff Grady, right, sends his quarterback Braeden Boyles, left, back out onto the field with a play against San Clemente in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 20, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
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San Clemente quarterback Brendan Costello, center, sprints between, Edison free safety Kaleo Helekahi, left, and strong safety Marcus Pittman, right, on a keeper to pick up big yardage in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 20, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
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San Clemente quarterback Brendan Costello, left, outruns Edison defensive end Bryce Gilbert as he turns the corner on a keeper in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 20, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
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The San Clemente Tritons run onto the field before the start of the game against Edison in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 20, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
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San Clemente cornerback Jake Brannon reaches up to intercept an Edison pass in the fourth quarter in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 20, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
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An Edison student waves his school’s flag as he runs along the sideline during the game against San Clemente in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 20, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
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Edison fans cheer their team during the game against San Clemente in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 20, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
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An Edison fan does a little dance during the game against San Clemente in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 20, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
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HUNTINGTON BEACH – San Clemente’s football team washed away a maddening, four-game losing streak Thursday, but the Tritons weren’t completely clean after navigating another heart-pounding fourth quarter for a 31-24 victory against Edison.
They also needed spiritual cleansing, as San Clemente coach Jaime Ortiz described it.
After the postgame handshake with the Chargers (2-3), the Tritons (2-4) quickly retreated to their locker room beneath the bleachers at Huntington Beach High to scream, celebrate, dance and say goodbye to four painful losses, three of which were by a combined six points.
“These kids have faced a ton of adversity and I wanted to take an opportunity to celebrate with them,” Ortiz said.
“They’re the ones who are grinding. I told them for a couple minutes, ignore your cheerleaders, ignore your family, ignore everybody else and let’s focus on each other and love each other back.”
San Clemente, tied with Edison at No. 13 in the county rankings, snapped its drought by coming through in the fourth quarter, something it wasn’t able to do enough in the past four weeks.
Senior running back RJ Donaldson capped a swift three-play drive with a 25-yard touchdown run to give the Tritons a 31-24 lead with 2:44 left in the fourth quarter.
.@Tritonfootball coming up clutch in 4th @rjdonaldson_ scores on 25yd TD run SC leads @EdisonFootball_ 31-24 @ocvarsity 2:44 left pic.twitter.com/qYSmqqPlXy
— Dan Albano (@ocvarsityguy) September 21, 2018
Donaldson scored his second rushing touchdown after a leaping interception by first-year senior cornerback Jake Brannon about a minute earlier at his 40. On the next play, Oklahoma State-committed quarterback Brendan Costello broke a 30-yard run to set the stage for Donaldson.
Edison and sophomore quarterback Braeden Boyles, starting for the injured Patrick Angelovic (collar bone), drove to the Tritons 27 in the closing seconds but were stopped on fourth-and-7 with 20 seconds left. Senior Kade Coury helped tackle Boyles for a loss on fourth down as the Tritons finally flipped their script.
San Clemente led in the fourth quarter in each of its defeats, including a 21-20 loss against Corona del Mar last week.
.@brendancostello shows off the arm that has him bound for Oklahoma State @ocvarsity pic.twitter.com/zBvKpjAxgf
— Dan Albano (@ocvarsityguy) September 21, 2018
“It’s really, really emotional to get this win,” said Costello, who passed for 179 yards and one score and rushed for 124 yards and one touchdown.
“(It’s) just the senior leadership. Everyone keeping everyone together, everyone keeping their heads high … and pushing through the adversity.”
Edison showed plenty of fight, too. San Clemente led 21-3 with less than minute left in the first half but the Chargers scored just before intermission. They took a 24-21 lead on a 7-yard TD run by Mike Walters with 8:08 left in the fourth quarter.
Here comes @EdisonFootball_ 3yd TD run by Mike Walters, cut @Tritonfootball lead to 21-17 in 3rd @ocvarsity pic.twitter.com/no5STTOi4L
— Dan Albano (@ocvarsityguy) September 21, 2018
Walters rushed for two touchdowns in the second half but the Tritons’ defense – playing without leading tackler Rob Farney (knee) – also nabbed two interceptions. San Clemente had four takeaways leading to 14 points while Edison forced two turnovers leading to 10 points.