Edison girls soccer dominates Corona del Mar to seize Wave League title
The Chargers score two goals about a minute apart in the opening minutes and roll to a 5-0 victory Wednesday
Edison’s Harlee Thomas, is lifted up by Hailey Clingan after she scored during the game between Corona del Mar vs. Edison in a Wave League game at Edison High on Wednesday Jan. 31, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
By Lou Ponsi | Correspondent / Orange County Register
PUBLISHED: | UPDATED:
Edison players pose for a team photo after defeating Corona del Mar 5-0 in a Wave League game at Edison High on Wednesday Jan. 31, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Edison players celebrate after defeating Corona del Mar 5-0 in a Wave League game at Edison High on Wednesday Jan. 31, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Edison’s Olivia Green, second from left, celebrates with teammate, Riley Crooks, third from left, after scoring one of three first period goals by Edison during the game between Corona del Mar vs. Edison in a Wave League game at Edison High on Wednesday Jan. 31, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Edison’s Olivia Green, left, Riley Crooks, center, and Harlee Thomas, right, celebrate the first goal in their game between Corona del Mar vs. Edison in a Wave League game at Edison High on Wednesday Jan. 31, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Edison’s Claire Whitcher, right, attempts to control the ball against Corona del Marxe2x80x99s Peyton Vovan, left, during their game between Corona del Mar vs. Edison in a Wave League game at Edison High on Wednesday Jan. 31, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Edison’s Harlee Thomas, right, battles for the ball with Corona del Marxe2x80x99s Kayla Spreen, right, in a game between vs. Edison in a Wave League game at Edison High on Wednesday Jan. 31, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Edison’s Claire Whitcher runs to the ball during the game between Corona del Mar vs. Edison in a Wave League game at Edison High on Wednesday Jan. 31, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Edison’s Morgan Bonnevie, left, focuses on the ball during the game between Corona del Mar vs. Edison in a Wave League game at Edison High on Wednesday Jan. 31, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Edison’s Caley Troung, right, celebrates with teammates after defeating Coronal del Mar 5-0 in a Wave League game at Edison High on Wednesday Jan. 31, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Edison’s Harlee Thomas, is lifted up by Hailey Clingan after she scored during the game between Corona del Mar vs. Edison in a Wave League game at Edison High on Wednesday Jan. 31, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Corona del Mar’s Logan Stern, right, battles with Edisonxe2x80x99s Jayden Rodriguez, left, during the game between Corona del Mar vs. Edison in a Wave League game at Edison High on Wednesday Jan. 31, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Edison’s Emily Whitcher, center, celebrates with her teammates after scoring during the game between Corona del Mar vs. Edison in a Wave League game at Edison High on Wednesday Jan. 31, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Edison’s Claire Whitcher keeps her eye on the ball during the game between Corona del Mar vs. Edison in a Wave League game at Edison High on Wednesday Jan. 31, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Edison’s Mia Rickard, left, blocks a shot in front of the goal during the game between Corona del Mar vs. Edison in a Wave League game at Edison High on Wednesday Jan. 31, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Corona del Mar’s Tessa Anderson dribbles past an Edison defender during the game between Corona del Mar vs. Edison in a Wave League game at Edison High on Wednesday Jan. 31, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Edison’s Avery Lundquist, right, heads the ball off a goal kick as Coronal del Marxe2x80x99s, Grace Audiss, left, defends in the game between Corona del Mar vs. Edison in a Wave League game at Edison High on Wednesday Jan. 31, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Edison’s Nicole Connor, right, leaps in the air as Riley Crooks, left, poses after scoring in the first half of the game between Corona del Mar vs. Edison in a Wave League game at Edison High on Wednesday Jan. 31, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Edison’s Chloe Pajaro, center, deflects a shot on goal during the game between Corona del Mar vs. Edison in a Wave League game at Edison High on Wednesday Jan. 31, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
HUNTINGTON BEACH — The Wave League girls soccer finale between Corona del Mar and Edison on Wednesday was only about five minutes old when the Chargers gave a strong indication of how the contest would play out.
The Chargers scored two goals about a minute apart in the opening minutes and rolled on to a 5-0 victory over the Sea Kings at Edison High School.
With the victory, Edison (15-6-2, 5-1) avenged its 4-3 loss to the Sea Kings (12-7-2, 4-1-1) in the teams’ first meeting on Jan. 16. More importantly, it gave the Chargers the Wave League championship.
Edison and the Sea Kings will both advance to the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs. The Chargers will go in as the league’s first-place team and will likely get a home game in the first round.
Neither team is ranked among the top 10 in the division but both are listed with “others.”
The playoff pairings will be released Saturday morning.
The Charges, who are ranked No. 7 in Orange County, came into the contest in second place. A tie wouldn’t have helped them in the standings.
The Chargers needed a victory.
“They were pumped,” Edison coach Kerry Crooks said of her team. “We felt we gave them the game last time we played them. So obviously we talked about that, because we made mistakes and we didn’t come out how we should have.
“We changed our formation a little bit, probably about five games ago. We just needed some time for some of my younger players to kind of get used to the pace of the game and they finally did.”
The formation change also helped Edison notch shutouts in five consecutive games, Crooks said, including the shutout of the Sea Kings, who scored four goals in their first meeting with the Chargers.
“Definitely our midfield and our defense and our keepers all stepped up,” said Olivia Green, who factored in to the Chargers’ first two goals. “They’ve been working hard at practice, too. I know they just wanted to keep those shutouts and change things from the last time we played them.”
Riley Crooks scored the Chargers’ first goal off of a pass from Green.
About a minute later, Green dribbled the ball downfield, got a good look and scored from about 25 yards out.
“Olivia Green has been on fire,” coach Kerry Crooks said. “She has just been very, very dominant.”
Edison’s third goal came off a long pass up field from Riley Crooks to Emily Whitcher, who scored on a perfectly placed, high-arcing kick over the goal keeper and into the net.
Harlee Thomas scored from 45 yards out on a line-drive kick that curved into the upper, left corner of the goal, making the score 4-0.
Claire Whitcher scored from a wide angle for the Chargers’ fifth and final goal.
“I’m hyped for my team and I’m excited because now we go to CIF as first-place champs,” Green said.
