Photo by Stephen Dachman
Two steps forward, two steps back—it’s a familiar dance step for the Wilson Bruins, who have made a habit of winning their first game and then dropping their second for the last three years. There were a number of encouraging signs from last week’s opener, as sophomore quarterback Brett Harper had a great first start, and Ezell Ruffin notched four TDs, while the defense held opponent Huntington Park to just six points. Not so, Thursday night against a powerhouse Edison Chargers squad, who played rude hosts to the Bruins by beating them 35-6.
In the first half, it was hard to find any positives for the local team—Edison’s front seven exploded through the Wilson offensive line, preventing Harper from getting his feet set (he finished 9-for-17 for 32 yards). Ruffin only touched the ball three times, for a total of fourteen yards. Edison’s swarming defense had just one solo tackle—every time a Bruin gained three yards, it was by swimming through a sea of green and yellow.
Edison, captained by the very capable senior quarterback Matt Viles, scored at will in the first half, posting touchdowns on their first four drives. The first was a Viles to Wade Houston dump that went for 20 yards; Houston scored again on a five yard scamper, and Viles threw the final two, both to Michael Rivera (the first by means of a Dylan Leener tip in the end zone). Edison’s QB was 12-for-15 for 158 yards and three TDs in the first half.
Wilson, on the other hand, could only muster 65 yards of offense in the first half (they gained another 65 yards in the second half). Brandon Robertson was a bright spot at running back, as the tough runner picked up 98 yards on 20 carries, much of it on the Bruins’ final drive, which went for a touchdown after Harper punched it in on a sneak. But Robertson was mobbed as he tried to move upfield, by a deceptively quick Edison team that was capable of both slipping between Wilson blocks and blowing up Bruin ball-carriers.
For Wilson, it was a reminder of how far they have to go—for Edison, a confirmation of preseason championship buzz. They’re a well-disciplined team with a lot of depth at the skill positions, and they were very impressive in the win. “We just didn’t come to play, and there’s no excuse for it,” said Bruins coach Mario Morales after the game. “They were more physical than we expected.”
Wilson defensive coordinator Mark Ziegenhagen praised the Chargers’ offensive line play—”They’re so fast, they got on our ‘backers right away, which kind of defeats the point of our scheme.” The Bruins are at home against La Serna next Friday, at 7pm.