Hungry Sea Kings face Lions

Barry Faulkner

NEWPORT BEACH - The Corona del Mar High football team, which takes

on nonleague visitor Westminster Friday at 7 p.m. at Newport Harbor High,

may be approaching the threshold of diminishing returns.

“I think the frustration level is about at its maximum,” CdM Coach Dick

Freeman said after his squad had four touchdowns nullified by penalties,

allowed no touchdowns on defense, and still dropped a 10-7 decision to Saddleback last week. “We’re to the point where we really need to win a

football game. If we don’t, I’m not sure we’ll keep (the players).”

The Sea Kings (0-4), ravaged by injury and plagued by inconsistency,

should not be overmatched by the Lions (1-3), who are winless against

CdM’s Pacific Coast League and Newport-Mesa District rivals Estancia and

Costa Mesa.

Westminster’s lone win, in fact, came courtesy of winless Bolsa Grande

and the Lions gave up 42 points in a 16-point loss to Marina last week.

The same Marina team knocked off the Sea Kings, 28-7 in the season

opener.

Injuries will continue to be a factor for Freeman’s squad. Junior

quarterback Matt Moore, who sustained a broken rib and a partially

collapsed lung in a Week 3 setback to Newport Harbor, could miss all of

October and may not return at all this season, according to his coach.

Additionally, outside linebacker Blake Hacker will be sidelined for a

third straight game with a severe ankle sprain. Reserve quarterback Joe

Barber (broken thumb), and reserve tailback Chase Presson (fractured hand

sustained in last week’s junior varsity game) are also unavailable.

The good news? Senior tailback Grant Estabrook has been solid, if not

spectacular, as the team’s rushing workhorse. The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder

has rushed for 79, 78, 77 and 77 yards the first four games and, along

with his only reception (a 4-yard toss from Evan Burden last week), is

responsible for the team’s two touchdowns.

Burden, who made his first varsity start last week, showed improvement.

He completed seven passes for 71 yards and should be more confident under

center against the Lions’ four-four defense.

“They like to attack you, but teams have blocked them,” Freeman said of

the Westminster defense.

Defensively, the Sea Kings will attempt to generate a pass rush to limit

the effectiveness of All-Golden West League quarterback Kelly Coburn.

The senior standout has completed 57 of 117 for 753 yards and five

touchdowns, though he has six interceptions (four by Estancia).

“He’s a great quarterback,” Freeman said. “We’ll try and get in his face,

like Costa Mesa did (in the Mustangs’ 16-6 win).”

CdM senior Jay Bottom, who had two sacks last week, could be the

primary nuisance for Coburn, who has talented receivers in Vince Laurel

(more than 200 receiving yards) and Philip Jenkins (17 catches for 242

yards).