STOCKTON – There’s nothing like a goose egg to make a defense pretty giddy.
Edison’s football team is known for its spread-style offense and the intricate passing patterns mapped out by head coach Booker Guyton. But its defense has steadily improved, and the Vikings put on a show against Lodi in its latest outing.
The Vikings shut out the Flames 41-0 on Friday night at Bear Creek High’s Podesto Field, which was acting as Lodi’s home field for this game. Led by defensive coordinator Desmond Bishop, who won a Super Bowl as a linebacker with the Green Bay Packers, Edison smothered any attempt Lodi made to put together a serious offensive threat.
After the game, the Vikings (2-2) took a moment to admire their handwork.
“It feels good,” Edison senior defensive lineman Anthony Douglas said. “We lost two games in a row, so we were trying to regroup and come together as a team. … We worked hard and came out with the W.”
Winning big is one thing. Shutting out a team which averaged 33.6 points through its first three games is another.
“This was probably our best complete game so far on defense,” Bishop said. “We’re still learning, we’re still getting better. I hope it gives us a huge confidence boost. It’s hard to stop somebody from scoring, especially a team like this. They can put up points.”
The tempo of the contest was set early. The Flames (1-3) got a first down on their first drive and went for it on a fourth down and three-yard situation at their own 37. Lodi fumbled away the ball, and the Vikings scored five plays later on a four-yard run by freshman running back Raleek Brown.
It was the start of a tough night for Lodi, which had three turnovers. Quarterback Logan Stout was sacked four times.
“We wanted to control the ball. We got going, but we couldn’t sustain drives,” Lodi head coach George Duenas said. “On the defensive side of the ball, (Edison) did a good job. They had a plan and they executed it.”
Edison’s offense also had a big big night. Brown had two touchdowns, and Treyvon Brekenridge, starting in place of an injured Davis Raya-Ruiz, threw three touchdown passes, including a 62 yarder to Brian Stanton.
Via: recordnet.com
