Edison blasts Firelands in opener

MILAN TWP. — It was a perfect start to the football season for Edison. The Chargers dominated Firelands in all phases Friday at Freedom Field, running away with a 42-6 victory. Edison was so dominant that it triggered the running clock by halftime. Senior running back Bryson Wittmer — who dishes out punishment every time he carries the football — finished with 181 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries. The physical 225-pound back who says he's closer to 245 had 162 yards on 17 carries in the first half. "I feel faster and quicker than I've ever been," Wittmer said. "This offseason I took it very seriously. Conditioning still has to get up there. "Obviously high expectations coming off last year. We're just trying to be the best teammates we can be." Firelands had to pick its poison and sell out for the run, which left Edison senior quarterback Cole Leimeister with receivers running open all over Freedom Field. Leimeister, in his first year as a starter, threw for 100 yards and two touchdowns before halftime, finding Andy Strecker and Brody McFadden for open 14-yard scoring tosses. He finished 6 for 11 and throw a pass after halftime. "Cole threw some good balls," Edison coach Jim Hall said. "That's the whole idea what we're trying to do. The backs we have and the way they run the ball, we want to use play-action pass and help open up things down the field. Our protection was really good. He could stand in there and look down the field. "He threw a couple balls we didn't get to or didn't catch. This is his first big-time varsity game. Under the lights, there's just nothing like it. You can't prepare for that. For him to get out there and get going a little bit, I was happy for him." The win was Edison's seventh straight against Firelands, a Division IV school from Oberlin. Those victories have come by an average margin of 22 points. Edison has scored 40 or more points in four of those seven games. The Chargers, who finished 13-1 last year and advanced to a D-V regional final, wasted little time getting on the board on a perfect night for football. After a McFadden quarterback sack forced a quick Falcons punt, Edison drove 80 yards on 12 plays, scoring on Cayden Clere's 11-yard run. Leimeister intercepted a long pass on Firelands' next possession and five plays later hit Strecker in the end zone. Leimeister's touchdown toss to McFadden on the next possession gave Edison a 21-0 lead. Wittmer then wrecked a Firelands screen pass and caused a fumble that was recovered on the Falcons' 21-yard line by Ryder Kramb. Wittmer went for 17 yards then scored from 4 yards out. "He run hard and does what he does," Hall said. "Cayden Clere's a heckuva runner, Ryder's gonna be a heckuva runner. Little Silas Perez, we're trying to balance it as much as we can and get those guys all involved." Edison forced another punt and drove 69 yards to put a bow on the first half. Leimeister hit Coltyn Meagrow for gains of 17 and 8 yards before Wittmer scored on a 14-yard run, plowing over a defender at the goal line. "When I see guys crawling at their knees before I even get to them, that's the key to go down to them," Wittmer said. "That's the best part." The first half numbers took away any second half mystery. Edison outgained Firelands 299-50 and had 17 first downs while holding the Falcons to three. Edison finished with 409 total yards and held the Falcons to 129. "I thought we came out and played pretty well," Hall said. We executed the way we ask them to execute and protected the ball like we needed to." Firelands hosts Vermilion next Friday. Edison hosts Firelands Conference power St. Paul next Friday. The Chargers will play five of their first six games at home this season. Firelands 0 0 0 6 — 6Edison 7 28 7 0 — 42 ScoringE — Cayden Clere 11 run (Alex Davidson kick)E — Andy Strecker 14 pass from Cole Leimeister (Davidson kick)E — Brody McFadden 14 pass from Leimeister (Davidson kick)E — Bryson Wittmer 4 run (Davidson kick)E — Wittmer 14 run (Davidson kick)E — Wittmer 5 run (Davidson kick)F — Nate Rowley 10 run (pass failed)