CdM freshmen handle Harbor, 20-6

Barry Faulkner

NEWPORT BEACH - The Corona del Mar High freshmen football team had

three days to prepare for Back Bay rival Newport Harbor. And, before

Thursday’s Battle of the Bay showdown at the Sea Kings’ field, Coach Gary

Almquist gave them just four motivational words.

Our chalkboard said “Hit hard; Hit often,” said Almquist, who knew if he

had to offer any more verbal encouragement, his team would likely be in

trouble.

The Sea Kings (2-0-1) seemed to heed the message and had relatively

little trouble outmuscling the Sailors, 20-6.

It was CdM’s first win over the Harbor freshmen since 1995, though CdM’s

last home encounter with the Sailors (1997) ended in an 8-8 tie.

“We had a good week of practice and our kids were focused,” Almquist

said. “Coach (Jeff) Brown mentioned to them that it had been awhile since

we’d won this game and they responded today.”

There was nothing flashy about the CdM approach.

“Give them credit,” Newport Coach Joe Urban said. “They were very

physical. They outphysicaled us, which is disappointing, because that’s

what we hang our hat on. They knocked us off the ball. And if you can’t

stop the run and you can’t run the football, it’s pretty hard to win.”

The Sea Kings used the hard-nosed approach from the outset, driving 15

plays with the opening kickoff to the Newport 8-yard line to set the

tone.

The visitors (3-1 with the benefit of an extra opening-week game against

Artesia), however, seized some momentum themselves, when Dave Erickson

forced a fumble while sacking the CdM quarterback and teammate Jordan

Smith recovered to keep things scoreless.

Two plays later, Harbor quarterback Michael McDonald, the son of former

USC signal caller Paul McDonald, hit Louis Bradshaw for a 49-yard bomb,

which put the Sailors at the CdM 18.

After a key fourth-down completion from McDonald to Michael Toole set up

first-and-goal at the 8, MacDonald hit Bryce Sawyer on another

fourth-down toss for the first score of the game.

CdM’s Keith Long stuffed the ensuing two-point conversion run attempt and

the hosts went 65 yards on 10 plays to regain the lead for good.

Brown, CdM’s offensive coordinator, kept things basic on the five-minute

procession, eschewing the pass and letting five ballcarriers pound away

behind the consistent surge up front.

Tackles Jason Kidushim and Jayson Skalla, guards Matt Wicken and Nick

Lutton, center Alex Kuang and tight end Kris Cooper took control of the

neutral zone.

Quarterback Jonathan Hubbard capped the march with a 1-yard sneak with

2:37 left in the half and the CdM defense forced a punt in the final

minute.

After Chris Bello returned the boot 4 yards to his own 11, Long charged up the gut, shed a tackler in the secondary and raced 89 yards as time

expired. Tristan Harris’ second conversion kick gave the Sea Kings a 14-6

halftime lead.

“That was like Tony Dorsett against the Vikings,” Almquist, a Minnesota

native, said of Long’s lengthy TD sprint.Newport, which elected to kick

off after winning the opening coin toss, was forced to kick off again to

start the second half. The visitors stopped the Sea Kings, however, when

Fernando Castorena recovered a fumble at the Harbor 27.

But Newport, which had just two first downs in the second half, six

overall, went three-and-out and Mark Cianciulli’s 25-yard punt return set

up a seven-play, 59-yard touchdown drive, which he capped with a 7-yard

sweep, to ice the win.

Long had 150 yards on 13 carries to help CdM earn a 219-25 edge in

rushing yards. Bello added 41 yards on six attempts and Cianciulli added

33 yards on 14 tries. CdM amassed 16 first downs.

“Our defensive line (ends Matt Cooper and Lutton, as well as tackles

Skalla and Kidushim) came up big,” Almquist said.

Starting linebackers Long, Bello and Ken Ito, were also key, as was the

secondary of Hubbard, Welch, Kris Cooper and Cianciulli.

Hubbard completed 6 of 9 for 74 yards, without an interception, and

backup Bart Welch connected on 2 of 3 for 23 yards to help keep Harbor’s

defense honest.

Adam Dorf (52 receiving yards) and Kris Cooper (32 yards) each had three

catches for the winners.

McDonald completed 5 of 10 for 135 yards all to different receivers,

including a 69-yard hookup with Rhett Manning with about 4:30 left.

Manning’s huge pickup, and a subsequent pass interference penalty, set up

first-and-goal at the 9. After an incomplete pass, Skalla stuffed a run

for no gain.

McDonald scrambled to the 4 on third down, but was sacked by Lutton on

fourth down and the Sea Kings ran out the clock to finish with 27:52 time

of possession in the 40-minute contest. The Sea Kings, who fell to

Harbor’s freshmen, 43-8, last year, did not punt, though they did have

three turnovers.

Bradshaw intercepted for Harbor’s third takeaway, while Erickson added

another sack and forced a fumble for the Tars. Cornerback Ben Soza, as

well as Bradshaw, provided frequent blanket coverage and lineman

Christian Pacheco, as well as middle linebacker Castorena had tackles for

losses.

The Sea Kings, who tied Marina, 6-6, in their opener, before handling

Pomona, 41-12, appear capable of contending for the Pacific Coast League

championship.