GAME OF THE WEEK RECAP: Auau, Edison Take Round 2 Against Huntington Beach In Second Ever Playoff Meeting

By Justin Tatsuki Lee

Friday November 8, 2025

Game: Edison vs Huntington Beach

The long-awaited return of the Battle of the Beach playoff rivalry brought a packed house to Huntington Beach on Friday night, more than a decade after their memorable 2013 semifinal clash. Under veteran head coach Jeff Grady, Edison outlasted the Oilers 31–19 to advance to the CIF-SS Division 3 quarterfinals, handing first-year head coach Matt Hatchette a hard-fought playoff exit in his debut season.

First Quarter — Fast Start for Edison, Creative Answer by Huntington Beach

Edison received the start, and despite being short-handed in the backfield with both RB Sam Edmisten (9) and WR Ayden Degiacomo (6) sidelined, the Chargers wasted no time asserting control. Backup running back Maddox Thomas (20) opened with a string of efficient carries before quarterback Sam Thomson (10) found Matthew Auau (81) on a screen that turned into a dazzling 42-yard touchdown. A post-play personal foul against Huntington Beach didn’t negate the score, giving Edison an early 7–0 lead.

The Oilers’ first drive sputtered until special teams flipped the script—Jimmel Champion (1) scooped up a muffed punt to give Huntington Beach possession deep in Edison territory. On fourth down, QB Brady Edmunds (9), the highly touted Ohio State commit, connected with Champion for a clutch conversion. One play later, the Oilers dipped into their playbook with a double-pass trick play—Edmunds to Steel Kurtz (12) to Troy Foster (4) for a 20-yard touchdown. The score tied the game 7–7 and cemented Foster’s place as second all-time in Orange County receiving yards, surpassing Los Alamitos legend Tony Hartley.

Edison answered immediately. Thomson dialed up another deep connection to Auau, setting up shop inside the red zone before finding Ayden Puente (45) on a 14-yard strike to retake the lead, 14–7.

Second Quarter — Chargers Surge Behind Thomson’s Precision

Huntington Beach’s offense faltered early in the second quarter, pinned back by penalties and forced into another three-and-out. Edison capitalized, with Thomson putting together a clinical drive—still perfect through seven pass attempts. He hit Noah Roberts (12) on a key third-down conversion and then Auau again inside the 15 before a screen to Maddox Thomas went for an easy touchdown, extending the lead to 21–7.

Edmunds and the Oilers refused to go quietly. Mixing quick throws and scrambles, Edmunds marched the offense into the red zone, connecting with Champion on a perfectly placed 15-yard touchdown strike to make it 21–14 with under a minute left. But Edison wasn’t done. Thomson hit back-to-back completions to Auau to move into field goal range, where kicker Cure Bradshaw (98) drilled a 42-yarder as time expired, giving the Chargers a 24–14 halftime advantage.

Second Half — Mistakes and Missed Chances Define the Finish

Huntington Beach struck first after halftime with a Jason Dunham field goal to cut it to 24–17. Moments later, the Oilers’ defense seized momentum when a botched snap by Edison resulted in a safety, trimming the margin to 24–19 and energizing the home sideline.

Yet Edison’s resilience showed. On the ensuing possession, Thomas capped off a steady drive with his second touchdown of the night, restoring a 31–19 cushion. From there, the Chargers’ defense tightened, led by Jordan Pelaez’s early sack and key stops from their front seven.

With under six minutes to play, Edison faced fourth down near midfield when Thomson found Auau yet again to keep the drive alive. But moments later, Anthony Godinez (2) coughed up the ball, and Jimmel Champion forced the fumble—Evan Scruggs recovered for the Oilers, offering one last chance.

Edmunds tried to mount a last-minute rally, scrambling and firing under pressure, but a bad snap and a fourth-down incompletion in the end zone sealed Huntington Beach’s fate.

Final: Edison 31, Huntington Beach 19

Edison advances to face Inglewood in the Division 3 quarterfinals, continuing their strong postseason under Grady. Give a lot of credit to head coach Matt Hachette for changing the culture of Huntington Beach football back to a winning mentality and with the Oilers having Edmunds returning next season, hope to make a deeper run in the coming season.

Key Performers:

Sam Thomson (Edison): 3 TD passes, near-perfect first half. At one point was 11/11 on completions

Matthew Auau (Edison): 149 yards receiving, 1 TD, multiple clutch conversions.

Maddox Thomas (Edison): 2 total TDs filling in for injured starters.

Brady Edmunds (Huntington Beach): 1 TD pass, showed poise under pressure.

Troy Foster (Huntington Beach): Historic night—moved to 2nd all-time in O.C. receiving yards. 117 yards and 1 receiving TD.

Jimmel Champion (Huntington Beach): Fumble recovery, forced fumble, TD reception—a complete game.

Historical Note:

This was the first playoff meeting between Edison and Huntington Beach since 2013, when the Oilers upset the Chargers 28–21 in the CIF-SS Southwest Division semifinals en route to the championship. Twelve years later, Edison got their revenge—this time with precision, balance, and postseason poise.