It’s better to receive

Barry Faulkner

Since the Corona del Mar High football coaches began annually

inviting alumni back to compete against the varsity in a little friendly

summer seven-on-seven skeleton (passing) scrimmage, the number of players

who can actually bring applicable skills continues to increase.

The proliferation of former Sea Kings in the receiving ranks is so

impressive, former CdM offensive tackle Nick Schaumburg, apparently

decided to join in the fun.

Schaumburg, a tackle on the vaunted Five Crowns offensive line, which

helped the 1995 Sea Kings reach the CIF Southern Section Division V

semifinals, is now a 6-foot-4, 255-pound junior tight end at Colorado

State.

Schaumburg, who wears No. 80 for the Rams, opened the season at No. 2 on

the depth chart, but is expected to contribute heavily. He opened the

season Saturday against intrastate rival Colorado in the Mile High

Classic at Denver’s Mile High Stadium.(A 41-14 Colorado State victory).

The most famous former Sea King pass catcher is, of course, Jeff

Thomason, who begins his seventh NFL season this week as a backup tight

end with the Green Bay Packers. With starter Mark Chmura battling

career-threatening neck problems, however, Thomason may achieve a more

high-profile presence than he has to this point in his career.

The biggest concentration of former CdM pass catchers now calls Geogetown

University home.

Hoya senior Josh Walz, who starred at quarterback as a prep, setting 12

school records, shifted from QB to receiver last spring. He began his

collegiate career as a defensive back.

The 5-10, 185-pounder, whose older brother Josh completed his collegiate

career as a Holy Cross running back last fall, wears No. 22. He appeared

in four games last season at quarterback. He had one completion for 10

yards in two pass attempts and rushed three times for 17 yards. He is

slated to start in the season opener Saturday against Holy Cross. He is

also listed as the team’s No. 2 punt returner and holds on place-kicks.

Sumner, a 6-1, 175-pound junior, caught 22 passes for 252 yards as a

sophomore. He opens the season directly behind Walz on the depth chart

and should improve upon those numbers if he can stay healthy. He is also

the starting kickoff returner for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Association

representative.

Cooper, who earned All-CIF honors on both sides of the ball as a senior

in 1997, caught one pass for 10 yards last fall. The 6-0, 175-pounder has

been shifted to free safety, however, and is listed at No. 2 on the depth

chart for the Holy Cross game. He played in all 11 games as a freshman.

Yet another former CdM receiver, Hunter MacDonald, is a freshman at

Fairfield, where the current crop of receivers figures to limit his

playing time, at least this season.

Rich Nichols, another former Five Crown, is a redshirt junior at Southern

Methodist. And while he doesn’t catch passes, the 6-3, 275-pounder does

touch the ball on every offensive play as the Mustangs’ starting center.

Nichols wears No. 52 and opened his season Saturday against Arkansas.

Mike McClellan, a former quarterback who annually triggers the alumni

attack, is a junior at Yale. He became the first Bulldog freshman in 52

years to start at quarterback his freshman season, but has seen limited

playing time since. He does not figure prominently in the Ivy League

school’s plans this fall.

Justin Shea, a senior standout on the 1998 CdM playoff team, is one of

five ’99 graduates playing at the next level. He is a freshman walk-on

defensive end at Colorado State.

Other members of last year’s CdM varsity still strapping it on are Alex

Bottom (a walk on long-snapper USC), Seth Richardson (an outside

linebacker candidate at Dartmouth) and linebacker Mark Hatfield (who

accepted a scholarship from Utah, but has returned and plans to walk on

at USC after sitting out this season).

Tim Thurman, a two-way starter before graduating in 1998, is expected to

start at tight end as a sophomore at Golden West College.

Dennis Alshuler, a three-sport prep star expected to play football and

volleyball at Princeton, has elected to concentrate on volleyball his

freshman year and is not on the Tigers’ football roster.