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LA HABRA — La Habra had not one but two seemingly unstoppable forces against visiting Edison in the CIF-SS Division 3 playoffs Friday.
There was the pass-catch combination of quarterback Ryan Zanelli and wide receiver Kris Koontz. And there was again Clark Phillips III.
Both provided just enough power for La Habra to earn a degree of revenge with a 35-27 victory in the quarterfinals.
Zanelli and Koontz connected 14 times while the Ohio State-committed Phillips returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown as La Habra beat Edison, which defeated the Highlanders in the 2017 playoffs.
“Special kids,” La Habra coach Frank Mazzotta said. “Clark is extremely special. Kris is special. They’re athletic. They got speed. We get the ball to them, we have a chance.”
La Habra (10-2) will be on the road next week against 2018 Division 4 champion Grace Brethren, which held off Lawndale 33-31 in another quarterfinal.
“We’re definitely excited as a team,” Phillips said. “A lot of ups and downs throughout the game, throughout the season, especially. Now, we’re back on the track.”
La Habra scored two touchdowns early in the second half to open a 34-13 lead. Phillips sparked the surge with a 25-yard punt return to the Edison 27 to set up a tackle-busting, 6-yard touchdown run by Ryan Loudon.
Phillips nearly had a 52-yard return for a score on the play but it was negated by a penalty.
The amazing @ClarkPhillips28! This 52yd punt return for a TD called back up late flag but still helps @LaHabraHS open a 28-13 lead v @EdisonFootball_ 🏈💯@ocvarsity @GregBiggins #OhioState @SteveFryer pic.twitter.com/Z6WTaluSED
— Dan Albano (@ocvarsityguy) November 16, 2019
Koontz finished with 14 catches for 204 yards, including two scores. The Penn-committed Zanelli completed 21 of 32 passes for 283 yards and three TDs, including a 26-yarder to Washington-committed tight end Mason West in the second half.
Edison (8-4) pushed to the end with second-half touchdown runs by Tanner Nelson and Mike Walters, the latter of which helped the Chargers cut La Habra’s lead to 35-27 with 3:51 left in the fourth.
But the Highlanders turned to Loudon and ran out the clock by employing their ground attack.
La Habra needed the strategy because it only outgained Edison by three yards, 410 to 407.
The Highlanders led 21-13 at halftime but Edison took some momentum to the locker room thanks to a 1-yard touchdown run by Walters from the Wildcat formation with five seconds left.
Edison trusted the senior, who committed to Sacramento State on Thursday. The Chargers used their final timeout before the run. The extra-point, however, sailed wide.
Zanelli tossed a 15-yard touchdown to the speedy Koontz for a 6-0 lead with 3:04 left in the opening quarter.
The left-handed senior also connected on a 16-yard touchdown to Koontz as La Habra opened a 21-7 lead with 1:43 left in the half.
Phillips also played a prominent role in the first half, returning a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown earlier in the second quarter to answer Edison’s score. Moments after Cole Koffler caught a slick, 49-yard TD reception from Braeden Boyles, Phillips returned the kickoff for a score and a 14-7 lead.
