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LA HABRA — All signs, past and present, pointed to a high-scoring clash between Huntington Beach and La Habra on Friday as the schools sought to stir the plot in the Epsilon League.
The Oilers and Ohio State-committed quarterback Brady Edmunds entered averaging 39 points. The Highlanders and dual-threat QB DJ Mitchell carried a league-leading 40.1 average onto the field.
And in their Epsilon League game last season, the teams combined for 72 points.
Huntington Beach’s quick-strike offense started a bit slow in the encore but warmed up to help deliver a critical 35-30 victory at La Habra.
Edmunds completed 18 of 21 passes for 250 yards and three touchdowns, and Steel Kurtz returned a kickoff for a touchdown, threw a score and recorded a sack to lead the Oilers (6-1, 2-0).
With the victory, Huntington Beach emerged as the top challenger in the league for Crean Lutheran (7-0, 2-0), the league’s highest-ranked team in O.C. at No. 8.
No. 18 Huntington Beach plays host next week to Foothill on Oct. 17 before traveling to Crean Lutheran in Week 9.
No. 15 La Habra (5-2, 1-1) plays at Crean Lutheran next week on Oct. 17.
Last season, La Habra rallied in the second half to edge Huntington Beach 37-35 en route to winning an eight consecutive league title.
But this time, Huntington Beach scored 28 unanswered points to seize control.
The Oilers scored less than a minute into the third quarter to open a 21-10 lead on an 8-yard touchdown pass by Edmunds to Troy Foster. A 50-yard run by Nathan Sammartano set up the swift drive.
On Huntington Beach’s next possession, Kurtz took a lateral from Edmunds and tossed a 50-yard TD strike to Foster on a trick play as the Oilers grabbed a 28-10 lead.
Foster had 11 catches for 143 yards.
La Habra hung tough. Bobby Brooks scored on a 1-yard TD run to trim the Oilers lead 35-30 with 7:31 left. The Highlanders’ 2-point conversion failed.
La Habra almost converted a fourth-and-15 attempt from its 23 with 2:50 left in the fourth but a long pass fell incomplete.
Huntington Beach led 14-10 at halftime after a late touchdown strike by Edmunds.
The junior lofted a 63-yard touchdown to wide receiver Dylin Bruce with 25 seconds left.
Edmunds capitalized on only his third possession, which started at the Huntington Beach 25 with 1:13 left in the half.
Huntington Beach’s other touchdown in the first half came on special teams.
Kurtz returned a kickoff 72 yards for a score with 4:01 left in the half. The senior cut across the field before finding the sideline to trim La Habra’s lead to 10-7.
La Habra scored the first 10 points and dominated time of possession in the opening half.
Mitchell broke a 12-yard touchdown run on a fourth-and-4 to cap a long drive with 4:15 left in the second quarter.
The Highlanders’ 12-play, 69-yard scoring drive consumed 6:45 after Kevika Martinez forced and recovered a fumble.
La Habra took a 3-0 lead early in the second quarter on a 33-yard field goal by Christian Meyer.
The Highlanders held the ball for 19:42 of the first half, which left Edmunds and the Oilers only 4:18.