Edison girls soccer to play for league title after nearly losing to Newport Harbor

HUNTINGTON BEACH — Edison’s girls soccer team was four minutes away from losing in the semifinals of the Sunset League tournament on Monday.

Then the Chargers’ Aubrey Dollins scored to make the score 1-1, ultimately sending the match against Newport Harbor to overtime.

After two scoreless 10-minute overtime periods, the contest had to be decided by penalty kicks, with the Chargers winning 5-4 at Edison High School.

Edison (9-7-2), the ninth-ranked team in Orange County, will play No. 3 Huntington Beach in the tournament final that will decide the league championship on Wednesday at Huntington Beach High School.

The Oilers defeated Los Alamitos, 3-1, in the other semifinal Monday.

The league championship is determined by a point system and the Oilers lead the Chargers by one point heading into final, which is worth four points to the winner.

“This is kind of what the tournament was supposed to be like,” Edison coach Kerry Crooks said. “It is to prepare teams for the CIF (Southern Section playoffs). We’re glad we’re playing for a championship.”

Huntington Beach defeated Edison, 2-1, in their first meeting on Jan. 22.

Despite the loss, the Sailors (12-6-4) will still receive a guaranteed spot in the CIF-SS playoffs.

“It was a heavyweight fight,” Newport Harbor coach Justin Schroeder said. “It felt like a playoff game. It was about what I expected from them. They have some kids who are really strong.”

Sailors goalkeeper Tatum Trout and Chargers goalkeeper Aliyah Chappell both made fine saves, but the Sailors finally broke through when Cassie Jacoby took a short cross pass from Cary De Vengoechea and scored in the 74th minute.

Two minutes later, Dollins scored off of a pass from Audrey Scrimgeour.

The play began with an Edison corner kick that bounced around in front of the goal until Scrimgeour settled the ball and tapped it back to Dollins, who knocked it into the net.

“Audrey was sitting at the top of the box and turned around and I was screaming for the ball and she just tapped it back to me,” Dollins said. “Definitely an adrenaline rush. I don’t remember much of it, but it was exhilarating. It’s great to do it for the entire team.”

Scoring on penalty kicks for Edison were Hayven Medeiros-Schomberg, Harlow Tarne, Ayla Khoshkbariie, Marissa Devine and Maya Devine.

Scoring on penalty kicks for the Sailors were Jacoby, Mia Knox, De Vengoeche and Ansofie Stringham.