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Edison’s Kobe Lopez, center, tries to escape from Corona del Mar’s Ethan Jajonie, left, and Cole Rener during a Sunset League game at Huntington Beach High School in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 27, 2018. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
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Corona del Mar’s John Humphreys, top, scores a touchdown over Edison’s Kaleo Helekahi during a Sunset League game at Huntington Beach High School in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 27, 2018. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
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Corona del Mar’s Ethan Garbers, right, Edison’s Bryce Gilbert sprints past during a Sunset League game at Huntington Beach High School in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 27, 2018. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
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Corona del Mar’s Ethan Garbers throws a pass during a Sunset League game against Edison at Huntington Beach High School in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 27, 2018. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
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Edison’s Braeden Boyles throws a pass during a Sunset League game against Corona del Mar at Huntington Beach High School in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 27, 2018. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
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Corona del Mar’s John Humphreys, second from left, and Simon Hall celebrate Humphreys’ touchdown during a Sunset League game against Edison at Huntington Beach High School in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 27, 2018. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
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Edison’s Nicholas Frengel, left, sprints past Corona del Mar’s Tommy Griffin during a Sunset League game at Huntington Beach High School in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 27, 2018. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
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Edison’s Jack Kosick, bottom, tackles Corona del Mar’s Ethan Garbers during a Sunset League game at Huntington Beach High School in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 27, 2018. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
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Corona del Mar’s John Humphreys leaps to catch a pass during a Sunset League game against Edison at Huntington Beach High School in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 27, 2018. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
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Corona del Mar’s Jason Vicencio, left, spirits past Edison defenders during a Sunset League game at Huntington Beach High School in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 27, 2018. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
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Corona del Mar’s Ethan Garbers looks to throw a pass during a Sunset League game against Edison at Huntington Beach High School in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 27, 2018. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
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Edison’s Timothy Sonz wait for the team to break the banner before a Sunset League game against Corona del Mar at Huntington Beach High School in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 27, 2018. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
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Edison head coach Jeff Grady, right, gives instructions to his players during a Sunset League game against Corona del Mar at Huntington Beach High School in Huntington Beach on Thursday, September 27, 2018. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
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HUNTINGTON BEACH – Corona del Mar’s football team cruised through the Pacific Coast League the past several seasons. On Thursday night, the Sea Kings received an introduction to the much more demanding Sunset League.
It naturally wasn’t easy, or always pretty, but Corona del Mar still got off to a strong start against the traditional Sunset power.
Quarterback Ethan Garbers tossed three first-half touchdowns and his defense made a key stand near midfield with about three minutes left in the fourth quarter as the Sea Kings held on for a 21-14 victory against No. 14 Edison at Huntington Beach.
Both teams had touchdowns negated by penalties and encountered other struggles but Corona del Mar (5-1, 1-0) made fewer mistakes to notch its fifth consecutive victory.
“This isn’t the PCL anymore. This is going to be war,” said Corona del Mar coach Dan O’Shea, whose team led 21-7 at halftime.
“There’s going to be times we are going to look ugly. There’s going to be times they look ugly. It’s more because the other team is doing such good things. But, man, we’re happy to be in this league and very, very fortunate to get out of here with a win.”
With Corona del Mar leading 21-14 in the middle of the fourth quarter, Edison (2-4, 0-1) tried to capitalize on the Sea Kings’ missed 40-yard field goal attempt by driving just across midfield. But on third-and-3, Edison snapped the ball low and past quarterback Braeden Boyles in the shotgun.
Corona del Mar safety John Humphreys smothered Boyles at the Edison 27 for a 35-yard loss to end the threat.
On the ensuing possession, Garbers ran the ball on three consecutive plays to earn a first down and the Sea Kings ran out the clock to seal a rare victory against Edison.
“Every game (in the Sunset) is going to be a battle,” said Humphreys, who had touchdown catches of 28 and 2 yards in the first half but had a 51-yarder called back by a penalty.
“We didn’t play as clean and as pretty and as well as we are,” the junior said, “but we’re going to get a lot better. … But hats off to Edison.”
The Chargers also struggled with penalties, though it was hard to fault them much on one critical flag earlier in the fourth quarter.
On a fourth-and-1 from the Corona del Mar 32, Boyles caught a jarred fumble in mid-air, scrambled and threw an apparent touchdown to Nathan Nabal with 7:55 left. But on the designed run play, an Edison lineman was called for illegal man down field and a chance to tie the score 21-21 was missed.
The Chargers also lost a fumble on the opening possession of the second half and had a punt blocked in the first half that led to a Corona del Mar score.
“We were undisciplined tonight,” Edison coach Jeff Grady said.
“We had opportunities on big plays that we got called back that we’ll look at on film and find a way to correct them. That was a frustrating football game.”
Garbers, a junior, and Boyles, a sophomore, dueled throughout. Garbers passed for 166 yards while Boyles threw for 163 in his second consecutive start.
Corona del Mar next plays Fountain Valley while Edison takes on Huntington Beach.