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HUNTINGTON BEACH — Huntington Beach and Western faced off Friday in the CIF-SS Division 5 football playoffs as the No. 1 and No. 16 seeds, respectively. The first-round matchup, however, appeared much tighter than those positions suggested.
The Oilers and Pioneers entered ranked 20th and 24th, respectively, in Orange County. They also both featured dynamic offensive players at quarterback and wide receiver.
The forecast of a close duel held true but Nicolas Navarrete provided the much-needed separation late in the third quarter for Huntington Beach.
The sophomore cornerback intercepted a pass on fourth down to set up a touchdown that helped push the Oilers and quarterback Brady Edmunds to a 56-39 victory at Huntington Beach High.
Edmunds, a sophomore, threw four TDs and rushed a score but it was the interception by Navarrette — the lone turnover — that loomed significant in the high-scoring game.
“Our defense and special teams won us that game,” said Edmunds, who passed for 239 yards. “Our defense played great. We knew (Western) was going to put up points.”
In the quarterfinals, Huntington Beach (7-4) will play at Summit (10-1), which defeated Torrance 37-7 in another first round game.
Huntington Beach took a 42-27 lead going into the fourth quarter after a 5-yard TD run by Edmunds with 50 seconds left in the third.
Edmunds scored four plays after Navarrette intercepted a pass on fourth-and-4 from the Western 40 and returned the ball to the 22.
Western (5-6) answered in the middle of the fourth quarter as Malachi Alatorre took a screen pass from Chance Thomas and weaved to a 52-yard TD reception.
The Oilers blocked the PAT to maintain a 42-33 lead. On the ensuing kickoff, Huntington Beach’s Trent Clark returned the onside kick 49 yards to extend the advantage.
Thomas, a sophomore, passed for 317 yards. Alatorre also had a tackle-busting 77 yard TD run.
Huntington Beach led 21-19 after a first half that featured three lead changes.
Edmunds closed the second quarter with a 24-yard TD pass to Gabe Bryant with 26 seconds left as the Oilers took a 21-19 lead.
The strike responded to a spectacular 42-yard touchdown pass from Thomas to JJ Amezcua with three minutes left in the half. Amezcua maintained his feet with a defender on his back around the 5-yard line.
Western led 19-14 after missing its second PAT of the opening half.
Amezcua finished the first half with 12 receptions for 146 yards. The senior finished 15 catches for 165 yards.
Edmunds tossed tossed three touchdowns in the first half.
He capped consecutive possessions with a 17-yard TD to Steel Kurtz and a 32-yard strike to Troy Foster.
Foster returned from a foot injury.
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