GAME RECAP: Minter, Edison Stun Grizzlies to Win First State Title in School History

By: Isabella Lyons

In the D1-A State championship, Edison, the 1-A South champions, took on Central, the 1-A North champions today at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo. The Edison Chargers came into this game 11-4, while the Central Grizzlies had a 12-2 record. Both teams hoped to secure the D1-A State championship title.

The game began with Central kicking off to Edison, where the Chargers had the ball at their own 41 yard line. Sam Thompson handing off to Julius Gillick multiple plays helped to put Edison on 1st down multiple times. Thompson’s long pass to Jake Minter, putting the ball on Central’s 24 yard line. 

Thompson, on the keeper, stopped at the 17 yard line with a 3 yard gain. Following, Gillick pushes through a crowd of Grizzlies for an Edison 1st & goal, where he then runs the ball to the 4 yard line, picking up 3. At 4th and goal, Julius Gillick with a 1 yard rushing touchdown to put up the first score of the game after 16 plays, 59 yards, and 2:46 to go in the 1st. 

Edison kicks off to Central, where the 17 yard return puts the ball at the 27 yard line for the Grizzlies. At 3rd down & 7, Central pushes ahead making two 1st downs in a row keeping and passing the ball, where the Grizzlies find themselves at the Chargers’ 49 yard line on 1st down. Being able to stop Central, the score at the end of the 1st is Edison 7-0.

At the start of the 2nd, Central is quickly able to travel to the endzone in 9 plays and 73 yards. Edison takes over, where a late hit flag is called on Central, where the ball is moved to the 50 yard line for an Edison 1st down. Juluis Gillick takes the handoff 19 yards to the 30 for another 1st down for the Chargers, but a 5 yard penalty is called on the next play and Edison is pushed to the 35 yard line. Soon after, Thompson finds Brown for an 11 yard pass at the 14 yard line, allowing Juluis Gillick to go 14 yards around the right side for an Edison touchdown after 5 plays and 67 yards.

Central takes over and manages to find a few open spots for gain. Jelani Dippel at quarterback, finds Zeb White for a nine yard gain. After a failed pass at 2nd down, Dippel’s pass to Bayon Harris is incomplete, but a pass interference moved the ball to the 5 yard line for Central, this sets up Dippel to find Harris again, this time for a Central touchdown to tie the game up. 

Edison takes over but is unable to score, the Chargers punt to Central, having the ball in Grizzlie territory on their own 21 yard line. Jeremiah Ross with a sack on Central, but the Grizzlies still have the ball on their own 29 yard line. But before they can score, Dippel’s pass is intercepted by Gavin Slaughter, handing possession back to the Chargers, but the half is over and the game is tied.

Edison kicks to Central to start off the 3rd quarter, but the Grizzlies’ ball is quickly intercepted by Carson Schmidt with extra coverage by Matt Lopez to change the possession on the Central 41 yard line. Thompson with a long pass to Ayden Degiacomo where the Chargers have the ball at the Central 41 yard line. Edison then punts to Central, where the Grizzlies have the ball at their own 11 yard line. 

Dippel’s pass is completed to Brand Smith, bringing the Grizzlies to Edison territory with the 48 yard play. Jack Knudtson with a tackle for loss for the Chargers, putting Central at the 11 yard line, but soon after it’s not enough and possession is turned over on downs. Edison now has the ball on their own 23 yard line. Gillick up the middle, picking up 14 yards for the Chargers. Thompson’s pass to Jake Minter for a 16 yard gain on the play and an Ediosn 1st down. 

Early on in the 4th, Thompson’s long pass to Aidan Brown is complete on the Central 9 yard line, but the Chargers don’t keep their possession for long. Xavior Jones intercepted an Edison long pass on their own 20 yard line, followed by a long pass that put the ball at Edison’s 18 yard line. Shortly after, Central possession over on downs, Edison has the ball on their own 6 yard line.

With the ball, Edison’s Teo Hampton, with a long pass to Julius Gillick for an Edison 1st down. Things start to heat up when Sam Thompson is back in and throws a 55 yard pass to Jake Minter for a Chargers touchdown pushing the score to 21-14, Edison. After the ball is turned over, Nathan Stevens with a sack on Central’s 34 yard line to push the Grizzlies back. The final score remains 21-14, with the Edison Chargers as the D1-A State Champions.