Sea Kings key in South victory

COSTA MESA — Corona del Mar High pretty much ran things for the South in Friday night’s Brea Lions Club Orange County North-South Prep All-Star Football Game.

The Sea Kings’ staff, led by Scott Meyer, coached the South.

The Sea Kings’ quarterback, Cayman Carter, started the first and second halves.

The Sea Kings’ kicker, Griff Amies, handled the kicking duties throughout.

The Sea Kings’ defensive end, Tim Reinhardt, harassed the quarterback.

Even the Sea Kings’ former athletic director, Paul Orris, operated the scoreboard.

The Sea Kings didn’t have to do much and Orris wasn’t that busy changing the score at Orange Coast College. One touchdown is all the South needed to defeat the North, 7-3, making it five straight victories for the South against the North.

The South matched the longest winning streak in the OC All-Star Game for seniors. There wasn’t much offense in the 54th edition of the game. The teams combined for the second lowest point total since the 1995 game.

“We were hoping to score a lot more points, but both defenses played well,” Meyer said. “We had our chances. We moved the ball and had some big plays, but we just couldn’t, you know, sustain some of those drives.

“It’s always harder I think to get offenses going.”

Carter, one of the South’s four captains, played better in the second half. The Southern Methodist University-bound preferred walk-on player appeared to throw a 12-yard touchdown pass on the South’s first drive in the second half, but a offensive pass interference penalty nullified the touchdown.

On the next down, Carter was sacked for a two-yard loss. The South elected to go for it on fourth-and-goal from the North’s 29, and Carter went down again.

The South turned the ball over on downs. It was the first of two straight drives the South ended up with zero points near the red zone. The second time, on third-and-one on the 26, the center snapped the ball over Carter’s head. Carter, who was in shotgun, fell on the ball, 18 yards behind the line of scrimmage.

Carter, who completed three of six passes for 81 yards and rushed nine times for 13 yards, can thank the South defense for shutting out the North in the final three quarters in which it blocked a field goal and intercepted a pass. Carter can also thank his backup, Edison’s Alek Torgersen.

Torgersen earned the Offensive Player of the Game award. He completed seven of 15 passes for 90 yards and one touchdown, and ran 12 times for 49 yards.

Torgersen, who’s bound for the University of Pennsylvania, recorded half of the South’s 278 offensive yards. His biggest play, a 35-yard touchdown hook up with San Juan Hills wide receiver Scott Hoover, came with 4:46 left in the first half.

The South took the lead, and Amies converted the extra-point kick to give the South a 7-3 lead. The South had a chance to extend the lead right before halftime, but the reliable Amies barely missed a 27-yard field-goal try. Amies, a first-team MaxPreps All-American kicker who converted 22 field goals this past fall, tying the state’s single-season record, also missed another field goal late in the game. He made his first try, a 33-yarder, but a holding call forced him to kick again. His 48-yard attempt was short.

With 83 seconds left and down seven points, the North took over on its 20-yard line. The team was unable to go far, and Reinhardt, who recorded one sack, was a big reason why.

Reinhardt, who’s bound for San Diego State, pressured Santa Ana Valley quarterback Joe Mohr, forcing him to dump the ball off on fourth-and-five. The defense swarmed the intended receiver, Orange Lutheran’s Tavi Jimmerson, and Mission Viejo defensive end Garrett Marino stopped Jimmerson for a three-yard loss.

Marino, who produced four sacks, was everywhere for the South. He shared the Defensive Player of the Game award with Marina’s Izak Faoa, who registered four sacks for the North.

Marino’s last tackle clinched the win for the South. The South took over on downs on North’s 32 with 43 seconds to go. Torgersen returned to the field and kneeled, running the clock out.

Torgersen went on to outgain the South’s three tailbacks, which included Newport Harbor’s Talalelei Teaupa (eight carries for 17 yards) and Estancia’s Robert Murtha (five carries for seven yards). Torgersen ran behind Newport Harbor left tackle Zach Cornwell a handful of times.

“It was a great experience,” said Meyer, who was able to coach in the OC All-Star Game after he led CdM to a second straight CIF Southern Section Southern Division title in December. “It’s a good group of guys. It was good times coaching these guys.”