Chargers open up Sunset League race

Mike Sciacca

To say that the Edison High boys’ basketball team has been on a roll

the past month would be an understatement.

Having returned to Orange County at the end of December after

spending several days in Hawaii for tournament play, the Chargers

have opened up the Sunset League race with three impressive

victories.

What gave them a boost, perhaps, was the way they played in

Hawaii.

Not only did they return home a bit more tanned, they also

returned with the championship trophy from the Walter Wong

tournament.

With tournament play now behind it, Edison turned its focus to the

start of what figures to be a grueling Sunset League schedule.

So far, so good.

Edison opened up Sunset League play with a Jan. 7 victory at rival

Fountain Valley, then returned home last week to host Esperanza and

Huntington Beach.

The Chargers won both, improving to 3-0 in league.

They faced a showdown Wednesday at co-league leader, Los

Alamitos.

Edison entered the week with an overall record of 15-3.

“We’re happy to be 15-3, but we know going into the Los Alamitos

game that it’s going to be a tough game,” Edison coach Rich Boyce

said. “We’re playing pretty well. I’m very pleased that we are

playing as a team. Everybody is contributing ... it’s just not one

individual. That’s what’s great about this team.”

In its most recent outing, Edison took care of Huntington Beach,

beating the Oilers, 61-47.

Huntington had taken a two-point lead after one quarter but Edison

turned momentum into its favor with a strong performance over the

middle quarters, outscoring the Oilers, 36-15.

Edison’s T.J. Lipold led all scorers with 16 points.

Teammate Jeff Golden, who hit three, three-point shots, finished

with 11 points.

Matt Buckalew’s 10 points paced Huntington.

Previously, Edison was a 56-45 winner over Esperanza.

Golden had 12 points in that game and the Chargers were led by

Kevin Reed, who poured in 14 points.

Thomas Marcin added 11 points.

In other Sunset League boys’ action, Huntington fell to host Los

Alamitos, 49-37, and Marina lost to visiting Fountain Valley, 53-42.

Buckalew posted a game-best 21 points for Huntington against Los

Alamitos, and Matt Molino scored 13 points and James Boury scored 10

for Marina in its loss to Fountain Valley.

Marina also was defeated by Los Alamitos, 57-38. Molino scored 12,

Mike Kinoshita scored 11 and Jeff Delaunay had 10 points for the

Vikings.

In Golden West League boys’ action, defending champion Ocean View

split its last two league outings.

One game after losing to Costa Mesa, the Seahawks responded with a

72-41 blowout of visiting Orange.

Nine Seahawks hit the scoring column, led by Clint Amberry’s 20

points.

John Greiner scored 17 and Nick Kosearas added 10 points.

Ocean View had suffered its initial league loss in a 70-63 setback

at Costa Mesa. Four Seahawks hit double figures, led by Amberry’s 18

points. Brad Sweezy scored 16, Greiner had 15 and freshman guard

Brandon Ishimoto scored 10.

In Sunset League girls’ basketball action, Marina improved to 3-0

following a 45-39 home win over Los Alamitos.

Rachael Maulit led all scorers with 16 points and Viking teammates

Erin Barney and Allison Budzinski scored 14 and 11 points,

respectively.

Marina also held off a late charge by Fountain Valley to post a

48-43 road victory. Budzinski scored 15 points and Maulit had 10 for

the Vikings.

Edison went on the road and defeated Huntington Beach, 51-35. The

Chargers’ leading scorer, Rebecca Kepilino, had a game-high 26

points.

Katia Hadj-Hamou, who had missed a large portion of the nonleague

schedule due to injury, hit four, three-point baskets and led

Huntington with 17 points.

In an early league showdown matching a pair of ranked teams, host

Esperanza edged Edison, 37-33.

Kepilino again led Edison with 17 points.

Huntington Beach collected its initial league win by getting past

visiting Los Alamitos in overtime, 54-50. Erving led two other Oilers

in double figures scoring with 22 points, followed by Hadj-Hamou with

13 and Karissa Plotnik with 11.

Huntington Beach took a break from league play Saturday to take on

Orange, and rolled to a 53-24 home court triumph. Hadj-Hamou led the

Oilers with 16 points and Erving scored 10.

In Golden West League girls’ action, Ocean View downed visiting

Costa Mesa, 50-36, as D.J. Butler knocked down 22 points to lead all

scorers.