Dylin Bruce Sparks Huntington Beach Past Redondo Union, 28-14

The nonleague varsity football showdown on Thursday, September 10, 2026, between the Huntington Beach Oilers and the Redondo Union Sea Hawks served as a critical early-season test of undefeated records. Played before an energized crowd at the Sea Hawk Bowl in Redondo Beach, the contest presented a stark contrast in execution. While Redondo Union relied on an incredibly potent, traditional ground game, it was Huntington Beach’s historic, explosive special teams play that completely shifted the narrative. Behind a career-defining performance from senior return specialist Dylin Bruce, the visiting Oilers weathered a relentless rushing assault to secure a definitive 28-14 victory.

The game quickly developed into a tactical battle, with Redondo Union attempting to assert dominance through a grueling run game. Led by an extraordinary effort from running back Rocky Martinez, who shredded the Oilers’ front seven for a staggering 218 yards and a touchdown, the Sea Hawks found consistent success moving the ball between the twenties. However, the Sea Hawks were repeatedly plagued by an inability to finish drives, severely hindered by a crucial fumble deep in Huntington Beach territory during their second possession. The Oilers’ defense, despite bending under the weight of Martinez’s heavy rushing volume, consistently tightened up in high-leverage situations to prevent big plays from morphing into widespread damage.

With their offense facing an uphill battle against a stingy Sea Hawks defense—which limited Huntington Beach’s highly touted senior quarterback and Ohio State commit, Brady Edmunds, to a mere 62 passing yards—the Oilers turned to their third phase of the game to break the gridlock. Dylin Bruce single-handedly blew the game open by producing an unprecedented masterclass in special teams execution. Over the course of the night, Bruce completely dismantled the Sea Hawks’ coverage units, returning two separate punts and an incredible kickoff return for touchdowns. Bruce’s relentless explosiveness provided the Oilerswith an unconventional path to the end zone, entirely erasing the statistical gridlock of their half-court offense.

The only offensive breakthrough for Huntington Beach came in the second quarter, when Edmunds capped off an opportunistic drive with a bruising 2-yard keeper into the end zone. Outside of that short drive, special teams entirely cushioned the lead, forcing Redondo Union into a state of continuous catch-up that drifted away from their run-heavy playbook. By securing the 28-14 victory, Huntington Beach kept their perfect season alive, extending their record to an impressive 4-0. Meanwhile, a frustrated but resilient Redondo Union squad was dealt its very first loss of the season, falling back to a still-admirable 3-1 standing.