San Juan Hills girls basketball unable to stop Oak Park in 2AA quarterfinals

• February 20, 2025

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — The San Juan Hills girls basketball team deployed multiple defensive strategies in its playoff game against Oak Park on Wednesday, but none of them seemed to work.

San Juan Hills fell to Oak Park 65-49 in the CIF-SS Division 2AA quarterfinals at San Juan Hills High.

The Stallions opened the game with a zone defense that dared Oak Park to beat them with 3-pointers and Oak Park did exactly that.

Oak Park (20-3) made its first five 3-pointers and shot 10 of 11 from the field in the first quarter. It led 25-15 after one quarter.

San Juan Hills (19-12) responded later in the game by playing man-to-man defense and getting out deeper to cover shooters, but the Eagles got the ball inside for easy baskets.

“They put us in a dilemma,” San Juan Hills coach Jay Williams said. “Our game plan was that they would hopefully not shoot well and we can stop them from getting to the basket because they can do that well. They shot us out of the zone. Credit to them. We tried to adjust but they executed well.”

San Juan Hills shot the ball well in its own right and got the game within one point for a chunk of the second quarter. The Stallions shot 39 percent from 3-point range, largely due to five 3-pointers from Adelyn Boberg.

But whenever the Stallions would close the gap, Oak Park would extend the lead with a run of its own. The Eagles went on a 12-2 run to close the first half and entered halftime with a 37-28 lead.

“We got into a spot where we felt like we had to get it all back on one possession and we just got rushed,” Williams said. “We couldn’t get over the hump.”

Boberg led San Juan Hills with 20 points. Senior Anna Shreeve had 17 points and seven rebounds for the Stallions.

Shreeve, a Utah Valley University signee, is one of the more accomplished players in San Juan Hills’ history and wrapped her high school career with one last highlight, a half-court shot at the buzzer to end the third quarter.

“She took on a leadership role this year and handled it very well,” Williams said of Shreeve. “All the records and accolades she’s received over the years are well-earned. I’m proud of her.”

“It’s super sad,” Shreeve said. “All my skills have evolved here. I’m so sad to go but this place has made me better and prepared me for the next level.”

Ellasyn Hunter had eight points and eight rebounds for the Stallions.

Oak Park has won 13 consecutive games and won its first two playoff games by an average margin of 31 points. The Eagles will host Portola in the semifinals Saturday.

San Juan Hills was the second-place team from the South Coast League this season and won its first two playoff games — against San Dimas and Diamond Bar — by double-digit point margins.

​ Orange County Register 

Best steak knife sets

• February 20, 2025

Which steak knife set is best?

Nothing ruins the chargrilled perfection of a beautifully seared steak faster than a dull knife. The blade grabs and shreds rather than slices, changing the texture of the steak and drying it out with a series of ragged cuts. Dull knives can also be dangerous, forcing you to apply more pressure to cut. The best steak knife set is beautiful, functional and seriously sharp.

If you are looking for a well-crafted, durable set of knives, the Wusthof Gourmet Steak Knife Set is a great choice.

What to know before you buy a steak knife set

Number of knives

A good steak knife set is a must if you regularly serve grilled meats. You’ll need to get enough knives for everyone when family and friends sit down to eat. Most steak knife sets come in six, but it’s possible to find sets of eight or more.

Blade and handle material

Most steak knives are made from either stainless steel or high-carbon steel (although ceramic is gaining in popularity). Stainless steel is durable and resists rust, but it can also be flimsy if it’s not of good quality. High-carbon steel is popular for its longevity and ability to keep a sharp edge but can cost more.

Handles are available in wood, plastic resin materials or metal. Wood is classic, but more modern designs can be found in plastic and metal.

Type of blade

There are three basic types of blades: serrated, straight and hollow.

• Serrated: These blades stay sharper longer as there are more cutting surfaces along the entire edge. The sawing action of these is best for roasts and crusty bread. Serrated knives stay sharp longer but can be sharpened when needed.
• Straight: Straight blades are best for a seamless cut. They do not tear the meat but produce a clean cut. The blade is easily sharpened.
• Hollow: The finest slices are created by a hollow steak knife blade. There are slight indentations along the side of the blade that prevent slices of food from clinging to the knife. These can also be sharpened easily.

What to look for in a quality steak knife set

Knife block

An included knife block makes for easier storage. Knife blocks also protect your knives from damage they might incur when banging around in a silverware drawer.

Full-tang knives

The tang of a knife is the part that extends into the handle. A full-tang knife reaches to the end of the handle and also spans its width. This type of steak knife feels weightier and is more durable than a knife with a tang that narrows to insert into the handle.

Easy to sharpen

Every knife will dull with use. The best steak knife set will be easy to sharpen and hold its edge longer.

Triple-riveted handles

Triple-riveted handles with no visible gaps or evidence of joinery are going to be stronger and more durable. Generally, these also feel better in the hand, as the whole construction feels more substantial.

Comfortable and balanced

A good knife feels comfortable and balanced in the hand. That means that the handle fits nicely whether you use it in your right or left hand, and the blade feels substantial in relation to the knife. The handle and blade should feel about the same weight.

How much you can expect to spend on a steak knife set

Steak knives can be a good investment if you regularly indulge in delicious cuts of steak, chicken and other meats. Expect to spend $50-$200 on a set of six or more.

Steak knife set FAQ

How do you care for steak knives?

A. Your steak knives should not be washed in the dishwasher. The high heat of the drying cycle causes the handles to warp, and other silverware can ding the blade.

Instead, hand-wash each knife in mild detergent and warm water. Dry them completely before storing.

How do you sharpen steak knives?

A. All steak knives, even serrated ones, need to be sharpened eventually. There are a few different methods  — which one works best depends on the type of blade and blade material you’re dealing with.

Straight or hollow steel blades can be honed after each use with a honing steel. This straightens the blade but does not remove any material.  To sharpen this type of blade, use a damp whetstone and run the blade across it from handle to tip at a 15-degree angle. Do this multiple times on each side, testing the blade for sharpness after a dozen or so strokes.

Serrated steak knives can be sharpened with a ceramic sharpening rod or a triangle sharpener. Each of these is designed to get into each toothed area.

Of course, the easiest way to sharpen your steak knives is to send them out to a professional. Many grocery and hardware stores provide this service.

What’s the best steak knife set to buy?

Top steak knife set

Wusthof Gourmet Steak Knife Set

What you need to know: Professional chefs rely on this brand, and their steak knives are of similar professional quality.

What you’ll love: They are well-balanced in the hand and easy to use. The high-carbon stainless steel blades are strong and hold an edge and the handles are triple-riveted and resist warping or discoloration.

What you should consider: It’s an expensive set if you only need steak knives occasionally.

Top steak knife set for the money

Dalstrong Steak Knife Set with Modular Storage Block

What you need to know: These knives are sharp, durable and come with a beautiful storage block.

What you’ll love: German steel makes these knives strong and sharp. The handles are hefty and balanced. Triple rivets keep handles secured to the tang of each knife. The storage block can be stored both vertically and horizontally in a drawer.

What you should consider: If you have limited space, the storage block is not a good option.

Worth checking out

Imarku 6-Piece Steak Knives

What you need to know: This is a solid set of knives at a reasonable price.

What you’ll love: The high-carbon stainless steel blade resists rust and corrosion. It has a one-piece full-tang blade secured by two rivets in the handle. The handle itself is made of wood and feels good in the hand, and this set comes in a gift box.

What you should consider: Some users found them too light.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.

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​ Orange County Register 

Best Seagate external hard drives

• February 20, 2025

Which Seagate external hard drive is best?

We have all heard hundreds of times how important it is to back up our data, yet the majority of us don’t do it often enough. If you have a Seagate external drive available for your computer or gaming console, the backup process is fast and easy, and you can leave your external drive plugged in for a storage boost.

Seagate external drives are available in a range of sizes to meet different needs. In addition, they are available as HDDs or SSDs, which vary significantly in their speed and cost.

To learn more about Seagate external drives, continue reading our buying guide. Our favorite model is the Seagate Expansion Desktop External Hard Drive, which delivers the best mix of value and performance levels.

HDD vs. SSD

When picking a Seagate external drive, you can choose between two popular storage technologies: HDD and SSD.

HDD

HDD technology, short for hard disk drive, appears in most Seagate external drives. It uses spinning platters and a read/write head to save and retrieve your data.

HDD technology has been around for several decades. It’s a reliable technology, but if you drop the external drive, the read/write head could break, leaving your data inaccessible.

People tend to choose an HDD when they want huge external storage drives from Seagate at a reasonable price per TB of storage.

SSD

SSD technology, short for solid-state drive, is a newer storage technology. It does not use moving parts to store bits of data, so if you drop an SSD, it has a better chance of remaining viable than an HDD storage unit.

SSD is quite a bit more expensive per terabyte than HDD in storage drives from any manufacturer, including Seagate.

Seagate sells SSD external storage drives at smaller capacities than its HDD external drives, so it may not work well for those with hundreds of huge files to store, like videos and photos. However, SSDs have faster read/write speeds than HDDs, making them popular for tasks like video editing or gaming.

Seagate external hard drive features

When comparing Seagate hard drives, you’ll want to focus on a few specific features.

Size

Those who store quite a few video files or photos will need a large-capacity Seagate external drive. You may want a drive of 2TB or larger to handle big files. Some customers may want a drive of 1TB or smaller to save some money. A terabyte is equal to roughly 1,000 gigabytes.

Power source

Some Seagate external drives run from the USB cable already plugged into the computer. Others require a separate power cable, which is less convenient, particularly if you have limited available ports.

USB connection

USB 3.0 and USB 3.1 (USB-C) deliver faster transfer speeds than USB 2.0. You may want a Seagate external drive that supports USB 3.0 or 3.1, especially if you plan to transfer large photo or video files.

Portability

Some external Seagate drives have a more portable design than others. These drives can be thick and bulky, which makes it tough to slip them into a backpack or briefcase. Others are thin and lightweight, which is ideal for using an external drive with a laptop or other portable device.

Seagate external hard drive price

When considering the price of Seagate external storage drives, compare the cost per TB of storage. HDDs will cost about $25-$35 per TB of storage. SSDs may cost up to $100-$200 per TB of storage.

Seagate external hard drive FAQ

Can I daisy-chain multiple Seagate external drives to each other for extra storage space?

A. No. These drives are not made to connect to each other. They’re only made to connect to a computer — one per USB port.

Do Seagate external hard drives fail faster than internal hard drives?

A. No, unless unexpected factors occur, such as if you drop the drive. These external drives should last a few years, even with regular use.

Best Seagate external hard drives

Top Seagate external hard drive

Seagate Expansion Desktop External Hard Drive

What you need to know: This is a good value for a hard drive that delivers plenty of storage space for most users.

What you’ll love: It’s compatible with USB 3.0 ports and works with either Windows or Mac computers.

What you should consider: It needs a separate power cord to operate rather than pulling power through the USB cable.

Top Seagate external hard drive for the money

Seagate Backup Plus Portable External Hard Drive

What you need to know: You won’t find a better price on a high-capacity Seagate external drive.

What you’ll love: It ships with integrated software to simplify making backups.

What you should consider: It has odd performance quirks with some Macintosh computers.

Worth checking out

Seagate Backup Plus Desktop External Hard Drive

What you need to know: This hard drive is designed to handle huge media files with fast transfer speeds over USB 3.0.

What you’ll love: It has a desirable amount of storage for the price you’ll pay. It’s made for those with large storage requirements.

What you should consider: The bulky design makes carrying this drive in a bag or briefcase difficult.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

​ Orange County Register 

CIF-SS boys soccer playoffs: Wednesday’s scores, updated schedule for Saturday’s semifinals

• February 20, 2025

The Orange County scores from the CIF-SS boys soccer playoffs Wednesday, plus the schedule for the semifinals Saturday, Feb. 22.

CIF-SS BOYS SOCCER PLAYOFFS

OPEN DIVISION

First leg of semifinals series, Wednesday

JSerra 0, Santa Monica 0

Second leg of semifinals series, Saturday

Santa Monica at JSerra, 5:30 p.m.

DIVISION 2

Quarterfinals, Wednesday

Edison 3, Canyon 2

Semifinals, Saturday

Harvard-Westlake at Edison, 5 p.m.

DIVISION 3

Quarterfinals, Wednesday

Katella 1, Anaheim 1 (Anaheim advances on PKs)

Montclair 5, Sunny Hills 2

Semifinals, Saturday

Anaheim at Montclair, 5 p.m.

DIVISION 4

Quarterfinals, Wednesday

Laguna Beach 2, Long Beach Poly 1

Santa Ana 4, Coachella Valley 0

Semifinals, Saturday

Santa Ana at Laguna Beach, 5 p.m.

DIVISION 5

Quarterfinals, Wednesday

Norwalk 3, Los Amigos 3 (Los Amigos advances on PKs)

Northwood 3, Godinez 1

Semifinals, Saturday

Los Amigos at Dominguez, 5 p.m.

Northwood at Desert Mirage, 5 p.m.

DIVISION 6

Quarterfinals, Wednesday

St. Margaret’s 1, Lawndale 0

Hillcrest 5, Cypress 3

Semifinals, Saturday

St. Margaret’s at Pioneer

​ Orange County Register 

LA wildfires intensify political jousting over home insurance premiums

• February 20, 2025

The timing could not have been better — or worse.

The horrendously destructive and deadly Los Angeles wildfires erupted in January just as Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara’s historic and very controversial overhaul of how insurers calculate premiums was taking effect.

On one hand, the disaster drove home the insurance industry’s contention that California’s propensity for such catastrophes creates immense potential losses that cannot be profitably insured without changes in the rate-making system.

However as fire victims inundated insurers with claims, Lara faced pressure to crack down on companies that minimized or delayed settlement payments. Meanwhile, his critics accuse him of being too cozy with the industry he regulates, as a Los Angeles Times article detailed this week.

It is, to put it mildly, a yeasty situation.

Lara, a former state legislator who was elected as insurance commissioner in 2018, began drafting his new regulatory plan in response to decisions by major insurers to cut back on policies in California — or even leave the state altogether — because of seemingly endless waves of destructive wildfires.

They contended that California’s long-standing system for calculating premiums, basing them on past experiences, was inadequate. They wanted to include estimates of future exposure, and the costs of obtaining reinsurance to ease their losses, in the process.

Lara incorporated those changes in his plan, but only if insurers were more willing to write policies in fire-prone regions.

“Giving people more choices to protect themselves is how we will solve California’s insurance crisis,” Lara said as he released details of the plan. “For the first time in history we are requiring insurance companies to expand where people need help the most. With our changing climate we can no longer look to the past. We are being innovative and forward-looking to protect Californians’ access to insurance.”

It drew sharp criticism from Consumer Watchdog, the Southern California organization that wrote the 1988 ballot measure making the insurance commissioner’s position elective and increasing regulatory powers. The group had been sniping at Lara ever since his election, accusing him of taking campaign money from insurers and not aggressively overseeing their operations.

The group had benefited handsomely from “intervenor fees” in rate-making cases awarded by previous commissioners. Lara has been less generous, although the organization got $643,530 in 2024, 100% of the year’s awards.

The Los Angeles fires have forced Lara to juggle his long-term efforts to stabilize the insurance market with immediate responses to issues arising from the disaster.

Lara authorized insurers to impose assessments on their policyholders to shore up the shaky finances of California’s FAIR plan, a last-ditch system that covers property owners unable to get coverage from the regular market that has seen a huge increase in applications.

However, he refused to immediately approve a request by State Farm, California’s largest insurer, for a 22% emergency rate hike, saying the company had to prove a need.

If nothing else, the Los Angeles fires underscored the absolutely vital role of a healthy insurance market — not only in protecting the investments that Californians have in their homes and businesses, but as a key component in buying and selling of real estate. Lenders simply will not issue mortgages for property that is uninsured.

The insurance commissioner must, of course, protect the interests of consumers, but one of those interests is a healthy insurance market, and a parallel duty is making insurance profitable enough to keep insurers willing to do business in California.

Whether Lara’s rate-making overhaul will fulfill both of those imperatives remains uncertain. He at least deserves credit for trying to fix a dysfunctional system after the Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom bowed out and gave him the task.

Dan Walters is a CalMatters columnist.

​ Orange County Register 

JuJu Watkins, No. 4 USC women hold off No. 22 Michigan State

• February 20, 2025

LOS ANGELES — There weren’t any double-digit deficits to worry about or big fourth-quarter comebacks needed. This was just another defeat of a nationally ranked team to add to USC’s accomplishments this season.

But that’s not to say there weren’t moments of anxiety for the fourth-ranked USC women’s basketball team on Wednesday night in dispatching No. 22 Michigan State, 83-75, at the Galen Center.

The Trojans (24-2 overall, 14-1 Big Ten) held off a fourth-quarter push from the Spartans (19-7, 9-6) to extend their winning streak to five games.

It was this kind of lower-level stress test USC needed after back-to-back emotional contests against crosstown rival and then-top-ranked UCLA and Washington.

USC next faces No. 25 Illinois on Sunday, its eighth ranked opponent this season. The Trojans are 6-1 in those games, having lost to then-No. 20 Mississippi in November.

“This was a great game. Michigan State is really good,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “I think (MSU coach) Robyn (Fralick) has done a phenomenal job, especially coming off a tough loss at UCLA to come in here with the energy that they did.”

While complimentary to her opponent, Gottlieb was even more impressed by the tandem of USC’s all-everything guard JuJu Watkins and impressive forward Kiki Iriafen, who combined for 52 points.

“Kiki and JuJu are the best duo in the country, and they played like it tonight,” Gottlieb said.

There was a hold-your-breath moment late in the second quarter when Watkins went down after colliding with a Michigan State player while going up for a layup. Watkins remained down on the court for several seconds before heading to the locker room while holding her neck.

She emerged a short time later and continued her assault on the Spartans, showing no effects of her fall. She finished with 28 points on 10-of-23 shooting, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and three blocked shots.

The hit and fall she took was so inconsequential to Watkins, she had difficulty remembering it after the game.

“Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Yeah. My neck, I got my neck tied up a little bit, but I was fine,” she said. “I was in a little bit of shock.”

Gottlieb said she needed a moment after she saw her star laying near the free-throw line with 3:30 left before halftime.

“She’s obviously really tough, she wants to play through anything,” Gottlieb said. “But whenever she came back and said, I’m good to go, that was that.”

Iriafen added 24 points, 15 in the second half. She shot 7 for 13 from the field and 10 for 12 from the free-throw line to go along with 10 rebounds, a stat line that can make teammates drool.

“Who wouldn’t want to play with Kiki?” Watkins asked. “I mean she can create her own shots. All you gotta do is just really get her the ball on the post. So, it makes my life and everybody’s life a lot easier, and she motivates the whole team.”

Trojans center Rayah Marshall added eight points and a game-high 12 rebounds.

Michigan State’s Grace VanSlooten tied a career high with 29 points and grabbed six rebounds, and Julia Ayrault added 16 points and 10 rebounds to lead Michigan State, but the Spartans shot just 1 for 13 from 3-point range as a team (compared to USC’s 5-of-15 showing).

The Trojans extended their 10-point halftime lead to 21 points late in the third quarter.

The Spartans, however, capitalized on a series of turnovers and missed shots by USC to make a run in the fourth. Michigan State’s Theryn Hallock scored a layup off one of those turnovers to trim the margin to 72-62 with 6:02 left.

MSU got within 74-68 when a VanSlooten layup capped a 15-4 run with 4:01 left, but a Kennedy Smith jumper followed by a Watkins fast-break layup with 2:51 left helped the Trojans re-establish a double-digit cushion and they closed it out from there.

“We crawled back in the fourth quarter and gave ourselves a chance,” Fralick said. “But USC is a great team. They have size and a lot of talent.”

With the win, the Trojans officially clinched a double-bye into next month’s Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals. They remain in first place in the conference with two regular-season games remaining.

“We can control our own destiny the last two games, but I also think it’s really a testament to our players,” Gottlieb said. “I think conference play is the best test of the consistency of excellence. You got to win when you don’t have it. Some nights you got to win when you’re on the road. When someone’s in a slump, you got to win when officiating goes a certain way. And so, to get this far with two games to go to have earned a top-four seed is something that I’m proud of ’em for.”

The game slowed in the second quarter as the Spartans stepped up their defensive attack and limited the Trojans to 17 points on 4-of-13 shooting. Still, USC led 41-31 at the half as the Trojans did most of their first half scoring in the opening quarter.

The Trojans led 24-16 after one quarter.

Watkins scored 10 of her 17 first-half points in the first quarter, sending her on the way to her 26th double-double of the season.

The game was yet another celebration for one of the most celebrated women’s college players in the country. On Tuesday, the sophomore guard was named one of 39 semifinalists for the Sullivan Award, which honors athletic excellence, leadership, citizenship and sportsmanship.

Connecticut’s Paige Bueckers is the only other women’s college basketball player on the list, which includes Olympians and other elite amateurs.

Watkins had already been named to the Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Midseason Watch List as well as the Wooden Award Watch List.

​ Orange County Register 

Lakers looking to develop ‘ideal rotation’ as group rounds into form

• February 20, 2025

LOS ANGELES — The NBA’s All-Star break, and the rest that came along with it, provided the Lakers with something heading into Wednesday that they haven’t had for most of the season: an opportunity to have a rotation with nearly their full roster available.

With LeBron James upgraded from questionable to available for Wednesday’s game against the Charlotte Hornets at Crypto.com Arena, the Lakers had every player other than Maxi Kleber available.

Coach JJ Redick used a 10-man rotation against the Hornets, with Gabe Vincent, Dalton Knecht, Dorian Finney-Smith, Jarred Vanderbilt and Alex Len playing as reserves behind the starting lineup of James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes.

“We’re still trying to develop the ideal rotation,” Redick said before the game. “But again, as we’ve said all year, the ideal rotation may change night to night, depending on the opponent. So a lot of guys will get their shot.”

Those rotations will continue to feature small-ball lineups without a true center on the floor.

“You have to build up the familiarity with that group,” Redick said. “And in particular now, when [Anthony Davis] was out for that stretch of games, Max [Christie] was part of that, now Luka will be part of that.

“And that doesn’t mean you introduce that with 25 minutes a night. We’re gonna give that some looks like we have been. And we’ll continue to just … tweaking things around the edges when we’re healthy, I think is a healthy thing to do in preparation for hopefully a playoff run.”

Wednesday was just the third game with Doncic on the lineup, and his first since his minutes restriction was eased, after he played in a Feb. 10 home win against Utah and the Feb. 12 road loss to the Jazz before the All-Star break.

It was also the second game with Knecht back in the fold after the trade that involved him going to the Hornets was rescinded.

“We’re obviously a little bit of a work in progress going forward just because we have had a number of additions and a re-addition or two re-additions,” Redick said. “So just trying to figure out what this new group is. I don’t think our standards change. I don’t think our way of going about what we’re trying to do changes.”

WELCOME BACK

Wednesday was the first matchup between the Lakers and Hornets since the trade that would have sent Charlotte center Mark Williams to L.A. and Knecht, Cam Reddish and the Lakers’ 2031 first-round draft pick and a 2030 pick swap to Charlotte was rescinded because Williams didn’t pass the Lakers’ physical exam.

Redick didn’t comment on Williams, but Hornets coach Charles Lee spoke about the brief period of time he was able to spend with Knecht.

“Dalton, he’s a hooper,” Lee said. “He loves the game. He came in and immediately wanted to get to work. So I think that the Lakers are getting a guy that just loves the game and wants to keep getting better and then obviously adds an element of shooting to the court.

“Having Mark back, I feel like it’s gonna be seamless. He’s been a part of everything we’ve been doing since Day One, since I’ve been hired. He’s built great relationships with the players on and off the court and so having him back in the mix like we’ve seen what he can do in a game and how he can positively affect the game for the team for himself and for his teammates and so we’re looking forward to having him back.”

Wednesday was Williams’ first game with the Hornets since the trade was called off.

“He always has juice and so I think that being here is maybe a little bit of added fuel for him,” Lee said. “But the thing that I’ve noticed about him since getting to know him is that every opportunity that he has in front of him he’s just looking forward to getting better and so I know he’s gonna come out and play hard no matter what.”

​ Orange County Register 

Edison boys soccer tops Canyon in quarterfinals with three goals, several big saves

• February 20, 2025

ORANGE — The Edison boys soccer team didn’t score the first goal in its CIF-SS Division 2 quarterfinal match against Canyon on Wednesday.

However, the Chargers did score the next three and wound up hanging on for a 3-2 victory over the Comanches.

Edison (15-4-1) advances to the semifinal round for the first time since 2019 and will play host to Harvard-Westlake on Saturday.

The Wolverines defeated Palmdale, 2-0, in the quarterfinals Wednesday.

After taking a 3-1 lead in the 67th minute on a goal from Oliver Worster, the Chargers appeared to be headed toward an easy victory.

But Worster’s goal wound up being huge, after Canyon’s Blake Hartfelder scored off a corner kick in the 77th minute to get the Comanches within a goal.

Then in the final minute of the match, the Comanches (13-7-3) had a throw-in about 15 yards from the net, setting up a good look and a final shot for Canyon.

Edison goalkeeper Andrew Mosham, who had made several fine stops during the match, made one final save before the game ended one minute later.

Mosham made a great save about five minutes earlier when the senior had to dive to his left to stop a bullet of a shot from Canyon’s Landon Sohegian.

“It’s surreal,” Mosham said.  “We had a little bit of a slow start to begin with, by letting them score first.  And then it’s just that our team has so much heart. We were so determined. We got one, we got a second. Once we got that second, we started going hard.”

Luke Ward scored 12 minutes into the match to give the Comanches the early lead.

Edison tied the score seven minutes later when Dylan Petruolo took a free kick 40 yards from the goal. He sent a perfect ball to Micah Novak who was positioned to the left of the goal and scored on a header without the ball touching the ground.

Two minutes later, Novak executed a perfect cross pass to Ben Hickman, who knocked in the Chargers’ second goal.

“We got that first goal and there was some hope,” Novak said. “The second was the best feeling. It was getting close to halftime. We got the third and we felt like we won it.”

Then it became a matter of having to hang on for the Chargers after Hartfelder scored Canyon’s second goal.

“It’s a classic CIF (playoff) match,” Edison coach Charlie Breneman said. “It’s never fully under control. We thought maybe those last couple of minutes, the game was kind of done. It wasn’t done. They’re good at corner kicks. That’s the way they were going to score on us. Our keeper kept us in it and had two or three really big saves for us.”

​ Orange County Register