CdM hopes to tap into reserves

Barry Faulkner

HUNTINGTON BEACH - Corona del Mar High football coach Dick Freeman

believes the Sea Kings have yet to play their best football this fall.

But there’s nothing like the challenge of hosting No. 4-seeded Valancia

in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division IX playoffs, 7:30

p.m. Friday at Huntington Beach High, to trigger a sense of urgency.

The Sea Kings (3-7) shared the Pacific Coast League title to earn their

seventh postseason appearance of the 1990s.

Valencia (8-2), embarking on its 18th postseason in Mike Marujo’s 19

seasons as head coach, lost Friday’s Orange League title showdown with

Brea Olinda, 41-7.

Freeman acknowledges Marujo’s amazing record of success, which includes

Divison VI titles in 1991 and ’92. Marujo’s 165 career victories rank No.

6 on Orange County’s all-time list.

Freeman, however, believes his players’ limited historical perspective

will prevent any undue awe.

“Valencia is a good football team, but we’ve got to be more worried about

what we can do,” Freeman said.

Freeman, perhaps, has worried about the Tigers’ stingy defense, which

matches up against a Sea King offense that has struggled, at times, and

was shut out by Costa Mesa last week.

Valencia led the county in scoring defense, before being burned by Brea.

The Tigers’ 116 points allowed are still the county’s second fewest.

CdM, on the other hand, is averaging just more than 10 points per game.

Only five county teams have scored less, all of which have already turned

in their gear. The Sea Kings, who have had six touchdowns nullified by

penalties, have scored more than two touchowns only twice.

Fortunately for the Sea Kings, their defense has been consistently

impressive. CdM opponents have averaged just less than 17 points per

game, just more than eight in four league contests.

Still, a relatively diminutive CdM defense (its three linebackers average

5-foot-10, 178 pounds) will face a beefy Valencia front wall, which has

helped a strong cast of skill-position players excel.

“They’re huge,” Freeman said of the Tiger trench warriors, who pass block

nearly as frequently as they try to spring running backs.

Senior quarterback Brian Bartczak has thrown for 1,629 yards -- more than

triple CdM’s aerial output -- and 18 TDs. He has completed 107 of 194

attempts with nine interceptions.

Junior Scott Parker (5-10, 185) is the Tigers’ leading ground gainer with

912 yards on 203 attempts. His backfield mate Sal Mora, a 195-pound

junior, has scored 10 TDs.

Giovanni Alvarez-Mena has 47 receptions for 762 yards and is also a

stalwart in the secondary with six interceptions.

CdM’s defensive charge will be led by tackle Jay Bottom, end Travis

Hackett, linebackers Brandon Johnson, Blake Hacker and Nick Prosser, as

well as safeties Adam Cooper and Eric Snell.

For the Sea Kings to win their eighth playoff opener in 17 tries, this

defensive unit will likely need to cut the Tigers’ 29-point scoring

average in half.

Offensively, CdM has produced nearly 75% of its 1,934 yards on the

ground. Grant Estabrook, a 6-2, 220-pound senior tailback, has averaged

nearly 25 carries per game and is just 9 yards shy of the 1,000 plateau.

He has strung together three straight games of more than 100 yards and

has scored a team-high six TDs.

Senior Mike Hayes (342 yards on 43 carries) is another rushing threat,

behind an offensive line anchored by senior veterans Sean Fenton and

Jason Kurtz.

Junior quarterback Evan Burden, who assumed the starting role after Matt

Moore was lost for the season in Week 3, has completed 30 of 70 passes

for 407 yards and two TDs, with four interceptions.

CdM, which claimed back-to-back Division VI titles in 1988-89, is 15-14

in CIF playoff games.

The last meeting between these two schools was the ’88 Division VI

championship game. Valencia leads the series, 4-3.

The winner will advance to meet either Garden Grove or San Dimas in the

Nov. 26 quarterfinals.