No-nonsense approach

Barry Faulkner

IRVINE - Football coach Dick Freeman teaches math at Corona del Mar

High, but it was a lesson he delivered in semantics which may have helped

point the Sea Kings toward a Pacific Coast League championship.

“There’s a big difference between relying on emotion and intensity,” said

Freeman, whose team takes on host University High Friday at 7 p.m. at

Irvine High for the chance to clinch at least a share of the the PCL

crown.

“They’re similar words, but emotion runs out. Intensity is something you

can build all week and carry through four quarters. We needed to build

our intensity level around here and it started last week (before a 9-0

win over Estancia).

“We had some guys goofing around in practice and I just said ‘See ya.’ I

just won’t have it anymore and we don’t need it. It’s not funny anymore

and if (players) think it is, there are other places they can be. We’re

not fooling around anymore. This is for a championship here and it needs

to be important to everyone. We’re going to go this week with serious

football players.”

The defense, at least, got the message last week, posting the school’s

first shutout of the season, its first in 26 games, dating back to a 1997

preleague blanking of Saddleback.

Similar stinginess will be required, according to Freeman, who has plenty

of respect for Coach Mark Cunningham and his Trojans (3-5, 1-1 in

league).

“We’re not going to win any 45-42 games,” said Freeman, whose Sea Kings

(2-6, 2-0) can seize a share of the school’s first league title since

1987 and just its second since 1980.

“We need to put the ball in the end zone when we get our opportunities

and we need to keep the pressure on teams with our defense.”

The CdM defense will contend with senior quarterback Pat Josten, who is

zeroing in on the school single-season passing record set in 1972 by Mike

O’Laughlin. Josten has completed 77 of 143 for 1,071 yards and 12

touchdowns, with only six interceptions. He needs just 169 yards to break

O’Laughlin’s standard.

“He throws the ball very well,” Freeman said of the signal caller

Cunningham believes may be the school’s all-time best.

When Josten doesn’t pull the trigger, he hands off to returning All-PCL

senior Colin Cavanaugh, or senior Jacque Newsome, recently converted to

fullback. Newsome rushed for 110 yards last week’s 12-10 victory over

Laguna Beach.

The Trojans are led defensively by returning all-league senior linemen

Frankie Gamboa and Jimmy Owen.

The Sea Kings are keyed defensively by senior tackle Jay Bottom, senior

middle linebacker Brandon Johnson and senior strong safety Adam Cooper.

Offensively, CdM relies on a ground game featuring senior tailback Grant

Estabrook. Estabrook, coming off his second triple-figure rushing

performance of the season (116 yards on 29 carries), has 706 yards and

five TDs this fall.

Seniors Mike Hayes (256 yards and three TDs) and Blake Hacker, who

recently returned from an ankle injury, are additional rushing threats

for the Sea Kings.

CdM junior quarterback Evan Burden has thrown for 295 yards and two TDs.

It’s the first meeting between the former South Coast League and Sea View

League rivals since 1993. The Sea Kings lead the series, 11-6-1.