Dividing the pie

Barry Faulkner

NEWPORT BEACH - The Corona del Mar High football team is being

taught not to share with others this week.

The Sea Kings (3-6, 3-0 in the Pacific Coast League) can wrap up sole

possession of the PCL championship by defeating visiting Costa Mesa (7-2,

2-1 and ranked No. 4 in CIF Southern Section Division IX), which takes

the Newport Harbor High field Friday at 7 p.m. intent on grabbing a

portion of league supremacy.

A Mesa win would make the two Newport-Mesa District rivals at least

co-champions, though an Estancia victory over University (tonight) could

elevate the Eagles into a tri-championship.

“The league title has been one of our big goals,” said Mesa Coach Jerry

Howell, who suspected all along that a CdM showdown might be the final

roadblock to the fourth league crown in school history.

“We’re taking the attitude that we have to win,” CdM Coach Dick Freeman

said. “We know we’re in the playoffs, but if we go in 3-7, we know we

won’t get a very good draw. If we go in as a first-place team, we won’t

be fed to the lions.”

It’s the seventh league crown for the Sea Kings, who hope to make it

their fourth outright title. They have not won a league championship

since 1988.

A loss could knock the Mustangs into a three-way tie for second (should

University defeat Estancia). But their seven wins would at least make the

Mustangs a virtual lock to earn the division’s lone at-large berth.

Muscle, rather than finesse, figures to decide the 30th edition of this

rivalry, which has included 14 league showdowns in four different

leagues.

“I think whoever controls the running game will win,” Howell said.

“Although, when you typically get the ball between six and eight times in

a high school game, whoever makes the least mistakes is always key.”

Freeman agrees that ground superiority is paramount. But he also believes

Mesa’s aggressive four-four defense, which strands the cornerbacks in

man-to-man coverage, could provide an opportunity for speedy receiver Jon

Schrank to make a big play.

Junior quarterback Evan Burden hit Schrank behind the secondary for a

52-yard touchdown bomb in last week’s 31-12 triumph over University and

Mesa surrendered 259 aerial yards in its 35-29 win at Laguna Beach.

Mesa, however, has also made big plays through the air. Senior

quarterback Dave Weir has nearly as many completions as Burden has

attempts.

Weir has completed 47 of 91 for 678 yards and five touchdowns, while

Burden, who replaced injured starter Matt Moore in Week 4, is 26 of 57

for 365 yards and two TDs.

But both teams would prefer a smashmouth approach.

Mesa, in fact, boasts Orange County’s leading rusher in junior tailback

C.J. Zuniga. The 5-foot-10, 185-pound workhorse has gained 1,810 yards on

242 carries. His 26 touchdowns are within three of tying the school

single-season record set by Charles Chatman in 1994 and he hopes to join

Chatman (2,512 yards in ‘94) and Binh “Runaway” Tran (2,303 in ‘93) in

the school’s exclusive 2,000-yard club.

Zuniga, who will see significant action at outside linebacker and also

return punts and kickoffs, has 2,270 all-purpose yards.

Tackles Eric Connaty and Charlie Amburgey, guards Eliseo Martinez and

Luther Mitchell and center Scott Schepens have paved the way for Mesa up

front.CdM’s ground attack is paced by senior tailback Grant Estabrook,

who has 889 yards on 219 attempts. He has scored six touchdowns,

operating behind tackles Sean Fenton and Matt Marston, guards Brandon

Johnson and Jason Kurtz, and center Tom Shochat.

Senior fullback Mike Hayes (316 yards and four TDs on 37 carries)

provides another option for CdM, while Weir has rushed for 358 yards and

seven TDs for Mesa.

Defensively, both teams are keyed by a strong linebacking corps.

Mesa seniors Shaun Ferryman and Jason Rankin have All-PCL and

All-Newport-Mesa credentials inside, as does Weir, who starts outside.

Johnson, CdM’s senior middle linebacker, has been a consistent force.

Undersized junior outside ‘backers Nick Prosser (5-11, 175) and Blake

Hacker (5-7, 160) have also sparkled in league play.

Senior tackle Jay Bottom, senior safety Adam Cooper and senior corner

David Beser have also been strong for the Sea Kings.

It’s the first league meeting in 14 seasons for the district rivals, who

collided previously as fellow members of the Irvine, Century, South Coast

and Sea View leagues. They were South Coast League co-champions in 1976.

CdM leads the series, 23-6, including an 11-3 edge in league games.