Edison Defeats Marina; Three Tied for Sunset Lead

Everyone knew the Sunset League was tough. How tough? Today there’s a three-way tie for first place with one game left.

Edison got 26 points from all-county player Marie Philman, but was saved by Carey Bartling’s career-high 14 as the seventh-ranked Chargers scored a 66-57 victory over No. 4 Marina.

Both are tied with sixth-ranked Fountain Valley. Edison (18-7, 7-2 in league), vying for its first title since 1987, plays Thursday against the league’s fourth top-10 team, No. 10 Esperanza; Marina (20-4, 7-2) closes with Los Alamitos.

Philman carried Edison much of the night. Tied, 17-17, she went on a 6-2 run, sparking a 15-4 run by the Chargers to end the first half.

Philman’s bad back stiffened in the third quarter, but Bartling, a 6-foot-1 senior, came to the rescue. She made four of five shots late in the third quarter and into the fourth, scoring eight straight as Edison nursed a seven-point lead.

“When Marie’s not doing well, we all have to step up,” Bartling said. “And we stepped up.”

Marina was within five points, 56-51, on Natalie Nakase’s three-point basket with 2 minutes 40 seconds remaining, but Kerry O’Bric (11 points, seven rebounds, three steals) drilled an 18-footer from the baseline and Bartling followed up inside. Edison made only six of 14 free throws in the final 1:32, but it kept the Vikings at arm’s length.

Marina’s Sonya Bryant (averaging 17.6 points) scored only six and had four rebounds before fouling out with 7:27 remaining. The other post player, Kirsten Cappel (20 points, 14 rebounds) was largely offset by Bartling.

Edison’s O’Bric and Shauna Steward (11 points) were also able to offset Marina’s Marisa Emde (14) and Natalie Nakase (10 points, four steals).