Edison found itself ahead of Genoa 7-0 early in the first quarter Saturday.

It didn’t last.

The Comets scored 42 unanswered points before halftime on the way to a 62-7 win in a Division IV Region 14 playoff match at Genoa.

Hillebrand carried 14 times for 100 yards and three touchdowns.

The Chargers recovered two fumbles in Genoa territory in the first quarter, capitalizing on fourth-and-9 as Kale Divers caught a 24-yard pass from Zach Yovanov, who had 48 yards on 4-of-15 passing, to put Edison ahead, 7-0.

It was only the fourth touchdown the Comets allowed this season and the first time they trailed all season.

And it was the only time they trailed Saturday.

“We came out, they made a few mistakes and we were fortunate to take advantage of them,” Edison coach Jim Hall said. Divers had 48 yards on three catches, and Dylan Howard ran for 66 yards on six carries to lead the Chargers (8-3). “But they came back... We just didn’t have enough tonight.”

Genoa coach Mike Vicars credited the early struggle to the pressures of his program.

“It was just (needing) to hit the easy button,” Vicars said. “I think this group of kids really feels the pressure — there’s a lot of expectations to get back to where they were last year. That’s a lot for a 16, 17-year old to take.

“Even the coaches were tight.”

Connor Wendt’s kick return and a 15-yard facemask penalty set Genoa (11-0) up with a short field, and Wendt punched it in from a yard out to tie the game with just more than five minutes left.

The Comets drove again, capping the drive with Greg Hillebrand’s 4-yard run for 14-7 lead with 2:18 in the first quarter.

“The players are passionate — It’s tough to get them to let up,” Vicars said.

“Of any group we had, they definitely play hard,” he said.

From there, the Comets defense tightened, forcing three-and-outs on the next two series.

The offense responded as a 57-yard pass from Matt Bassitt to Wendt, who got away from two tacklers and went the distance, and Hillebrand broke off a 28-yard run for a 28-7 lead with 10:32 left in the first half.

Hillebrand had a 10-yard run, and Wendt also caught a 60-yard pass from Bassitt to end the first-half scoring.

Genoa’s first-team went for one more scoring drive before the backups for both teams took the field for most of the second half.

The Comets had two field goal in he red zone to end the third quarter, and Chris Clavis capped a nine-play, 62-yard drive with a short touchdown run for the final points.

“We’re proud of our seniors, “Hall said. “They’ve had a great four years in our program. They had a lot of success and they got us to this point where we’re at now. Our underclassmen gotta pick it up and move on from here.

“The game tonight is tough for them to handle, but they’ve got a lot to look back and be proud of.”

Edison finished third in the Sandusky Bay Conference behind co-champions Clyde and Perkins.

The playoff appearance is only the second ever in the history of the program — the 2003 squad earned a postseason game. “When you’re at this level, these teams are good,” Hall said “(Genoa) did what they did. They just executed. They’re fast and they’re physical. They’re a good team.”