CdM sticks it to Sailors
The numbers on the jerseys made it difficult for the PA announcer to identify which player scored what goal during the Battle of the Bay boys’ lacrosse rivalry game. One thing he was certain about was which team kept finding the back of the net.
Seventy-five seconds is how long it took Corona del Mar High to show its dominance against Newport Harbor.
Jordan Greenhall produced a goal that early, winding up with three of the Sea Kings’ first four goals in the first 12 minutes. By then, CdM was on its way to a 15-2 blowout win at Newport Harbor on Friday night.
The Sea Kings have beaten the Sailors in 12 straight, 10 of those coming in the annual rivalry and two in the opening round of the U.S. Lacrosse Southern Section South Division playoffs. Whether the two schools meet in the regular season or postseason, CdM owns the Back Bay.
The Sea Kings, ranked No. 5 in California by laxpower.com, are off to a 6-0 start. They have been on a tear, outscoring opponents, 100-11. The performance put on by CdM in all facets of the game was impressive. It caught the eye of Newport Harbor Coach Mark Todd, who used to guide the Sea Kings.
“Of all the years I’ve been coaching, six years at CdM and then [the last five years] over here [at Newport Harbor], that’s probably the best team that they’ve ever had,” Todd said of the Sea Kings. “I think not only that they’ve had, but I think the best team ever assembled in [Orange County].
“I think they’re the team to beat. I know people have called talking about Foothill, but I think CdM is the best team hands down. I think they have six Division I commits.”
Those college-bound players, defender Brett Greenlee (Denver), defender Hugh Crance (Notre Dame), goalie Hoyt Crance (Yale) and faceoff specialist Jason Simaan (Brown), led the way for CdM.
Greenlee and the Crance twins, along with Brian Leguay, Chad Redfearn and Ryan Brown limited Newport Harbor (2-6) to its lowest goal total since the Sailors’ season opener two years ago, when they lost by the identical 15-2 score to Santa Margarita.
Trying to come back against CdM appears impossible with Simaan winning every faceoff. The junior won 15 against Newport Harbor, which rarely had possession in the first half. One of the few times it did, the host school took advantage. The goal came shortly after Hoyt Crance was out of position, and Max Durante scored 90 seconds into the second quarter.
Eight seconds later, Nino Chavez answered for CdM. The senior put away the second of his three first-half goals. Stephen Von Der Ahe scored one of his two goals in the second quarter, and Max Kline recorded half of his four goals, helping the Sea Kings go into halftime up, 9-1.
“I thought our kids did a nice job,” Sea Kings Coach G.W. Mix said. “We challenged them a little bit this week. [Assistant coach] Jeremy Sieverts did a great job of challenging the offense and they responded pretty well. I thought our defense did a heck of a job. We played a lot of defense a man down, and a couple of times two men down, and still managed to [allow only two goals].”
Mix and the Sea Kings don’t plan to take it easy on their next opponent, even though Mix will be coaching against family.
The Sea Kings are at home on Tuesday against Saint Viator, which is from Arlington Heights, Ill. Mix’s nephew, Wyatt Rich, is a freshman on the team, which is in Orange County during spring break. Saint Viator plays the first of three games against county programs on Friday, when it travels to St. Margaret’s (8-1), ranked No. 18 in the state.
“I think we may go,” said Greenhall, who finished with four goals, three assists and two groundballs against the Sailors.
The Sea Kings will be the third team Saint Viator plays, the second is Foothill on Monday. Foothill (8-0) is the top-ranked program in the state. If you talk to Todd, he believes the rankings will change. CdM has a showdown at No. 3 Torrey Pines on April 3.
“We just played the Corona del Mar football team in lacrosse,” said Todd, who only has two seniors on defense, Blake Lenk and Liam Whelan, and two seniors on attack, John Mooers and Alex Fuller, who teamed up with his younger brother, Joe Fuller, on the Sailors’ second goal. “When you see Battle of the [Bay football trophy], those guys are holding the Bell. They’re all CdM lacrosse players. It shows a great testament to them sharing athletes at that school.”