CdM fights to the finish

Joseph Boo

HUNTINGTON BEACH - Corona del Mar High’s football team walked in as

the underdog Friday night against Valencia’s second stingiest defense in

Orange County. The Sea Kings battled, but ultimately fell, 23-15, in the

first round of the CIF Southern Section Division IX playoffs at

Huntington Beach High.

“We battled them,” CdM Coach Dick Freeman said. “We did a good job. We

did a lot of good things in the game.”

Among the positives for the Sea Kings (3-8) were holding Valencia’s top

rusher, Scott Parker, to 48 yards and not turning the ball over. But the

Tigers’ defense, which gave up 11.2 points a game coming in, kept CdM’s

offense at bay, holding it to 135 yards.

“Our defense was on the field way too long,” Freeman said.

Even though it was overworked, CdM’s defense kept the game close. Eric

Snell intercepted Valencia quarterback Brian Bartczak when Valencia (9-2)

was threatening on its first drive.

But CdM went three and out. On the ensuing punt, the snap sailed over the

head of punter Rory McKeever, and he ran the ball out of the end zone for

a safety.

Valencia only got one first down in the opening quarter. It sustained a

six-minute drive in the second, but it ended when Jason Kurtz stopped a

scrambling Bartczak short on fourth down.

The Tigers finally scored a touchdown with their two-minute offense late

in the first half. Bartczak got into a rhythm and led Valencia 49 yards

in a minute. He ended up with 257 yards passing.

“That’s a good quarterback we faced,” Freeman said. “But we battled

against him.”

At the start of the second half, Nick Prosser leveled Valencia’s Sonny

Lopez. Lopez coughed it up and Charllie Alshuler recovered for CdM. The

Sea Kings capitalized when Mike Hayes ran in for a touchdown from the

1-yard line.

CdM had another big defensive play in that quarter when it stuffed

Valencia at the goal line. On third-and-goal at its one, CdM’s Jay Bottom

stopped Sal Mora for no gain. On the next play, Prosser caused another

fumble and Jon Schrank landed on it in the end zone for a touchback.

Valencia’s offense finally broke the game open against a tired CdM

defense in the fourth quarter, scoring two touchdowns. CdM played until

the end, adding another Hayes touchdown with 1:42 left, to cap off its

season.

“They didn’t expect a 3-8 team to be in the playoffs,” Freeman said. “But

here we are, as co-Pacific Coast League champs.”

We battled in every football game. We played to the end of every game in

the season.”