Battle at the Beach is heating up

Prep football players will test preparedness in the annual 7-on-7 passing tournament.

- By ERIC SONDHEIMER

The high school football season is more than a month away, but fans seeking an early preview of teams with the top quarterbacks, receivers and defensive backs have come to appreciate the annual Edison Battle at the Beach seven-on-seven passing tournament that is taking place on Saturday.

It’s the unofficial kickoff to teams getting serious because so many quality teams compete from 9 a.m. through the early afternoon in Huntington Beach, with food, music and lots of banter among parents. You know how much players like to rise up against other players with better “star” rankings than them, and this is the tournament to see it transpire.

It’s not about wins and losses — it’s about players testing themselves against great competition. This tournament has built credibility by showcasing teams competing at a high level, then shaking hands after.

Mission Viejo has won the past two tournaments at Edison, but the Diablos are spending the summer trying to figure out who will start at quarterback. Sophomore Brett Burnor and senior Nash McElree, a transfer from Texas, are competing. Could coach Chad Johnson really alternate quarterbacks like he did two years ago with Luke Fahey and Drau Trudeau?

“You never know,” he said.