Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now
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.
Show Caption
1 of 14
Huntington Beach’s Quarterback Brady Edmunds (9) throws a touchdown pass to Dylin Bruce, not in photo, in the 3rd quarter as La Habra’s Kevika Mata’Utia-Martinez (4) tries to stop during a Friday night football game, Oct. 10, 2025, at La Habra (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Expand
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).
“We wanted to show that we can win big games,” Edmunds said. “We played a team up to our caliber, a team (with a level) that we’ll be seeing in the playoffs and being able to come out with that win is big.”
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 surge began in the second quarter and continued into the third.
The Oilers scored less than a minute into the third quarter to open a 21-10 lead on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Edmunds to Troy Foster. A 50-yard run by Nathan Sammartano set up the swift drive that lasted 53 seconds.
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.
The scoring drive lasted just 1:10 and capped a 28-0 run by the Oilers, who trailed 10-0 in the middle of the second quarter.
“We’re just trying to make plays when they’re there to be made,” first-year Huntington Beach coach Matthew Hatchette said. “It’s a chess match. … You got to take calculated shots.”
After Mitchell responded with a 28-yard touchdown strike to Blake Rogers, Edmunds answered two plays later with a 46-yard TD to Dylin Bruce on a slant to extend Huntington Beach’s lead to 35-17 with 5:41 left in the third.
“Brady is legit,” La Habra coach Frank Mazzotta said of Edmunds.
La Habra hung tough. Bobby Brooks scored on a 1-yard TD run to trim the Oilers lead 35-30 with 7:31 left in the fourth. 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.
“It would have been so exciting,” Mazzotta said of the near completion. “(And) what you’d expect from La Habra-Huntington Beach. Last year, it was a field goal (than won it). This time, it could have been a big catch for a touchdown.”
Huntington Beach led 14-10 at halftime after a late touchdown strike by Edmunds.
The junior lofted a 63-yard touchdown to 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. The Oilers needed only 48 seconds to reach the end zone.
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.
Foster finished with 11 catches for 143 yards. Bruce had five receptions for 138 yards.
Mitchell completed 18 of 32 passes for 226 yards and two scores. Bryce Vasquez had eight catches for 90 yards and a TD.
La Habra outgained Huntington Beach 358-354 and held possession for just over 32 minutes. The Oilers’ time of possession was 15:46.
Caden Clark and Johnny Yadrick joined Kurtz with sacks for Huntington Beach.
Originally Published: October 10, 2025 at 10:32 PM PDT
