Boys soccer: Bell belongs to CdM

Tony Altobelli

NEWPORT BEACH - The 12th time is the charm for the Sea Kings.

Eleven times since 1994, Corona del Mar High boys soccer has gone up

against the rival Sailors of Newport Harbor and 11 times the Sea Kings

have not come away with a win or a bell.

Now they have both.

Newport Harbor controlled most of the game but a well-placed shot by

John Schrank in the 13th minute of the second half gave the Sea Kings not

only a 1-0 win over the rival Sailors, but a lift of relief that could be

felt all the way to the other side of the Back Bay.

The win was the first for the Sea Kings (1-1) over the Sailors since

1994 and despite two rival teams going for each other’s throat on the

field, off the field, both coaches had praise for the other’s team.

“It was a real fun game today,” Sea Kings Coach Scott Dameron said.

“Newport has some real strong players out there and both teams really

wanted it out there.”

Sailors Coach Matty West agreed with Dameron on the intensity of the

game. “I gotta give credit to CdM today,” West said. “They came over here

with tremendous heart and intensity and they played their guts out.”

Schrank’s goal came after a steady rush by Newport.

CdM’s Adam Hoyt stole possession from the Sailors and connected with

Schrank with a long sideline pass. Schrank controlled the pass and

streaked down the left sideline and slid the shot into the lower-right

corner of the goal in the game’s 53rd minute of play, giving the Sea

Kings a 1-0 lead.

“That shot was just a perfect shot,” West said. “There was nothing we

could do about it. It could not have been placed any better.”

The Sailors (1-3-1) nearly tied the game on an apparent goal by Ryan

Hernandez 10 minutes later, but the goal was disallowed due to a Sailor

foul.

Late in the second half, Sailors’ junior Trey Meeks nearly found the

top of the goal, but his shot just sailed over the crossbar and the

threat was thwarted.

“I liked our ball movement today,” West said. “But we have to do a

better job of being more dangerous near the other team’s goal. We’re

about one or two passes from goals.”

Both teams’s crossbars got a beating in the first half of the game.

Hernandez took a corner kick pass and headed it just off the top of the

crossbar at the 15th minute of play.

For CdM, the Sea Kings nearly lobbed in a goal just past the

outstretched fingers of Sailors’ goalie Duke Burchell. But the ball hit

the bottom of the crossbar and shot straight down. Burchell recovered the

ball before the ball could cross the goal line, despite pleas from the

CdM players.

“We thought we could attack their fullbacks with our attackers,”

Dameron said. “We didn’t have that many changes going into the second

half. We just wanted to make sure we had the matchups we wanted and we

wanted to stay aggressively.”

For the goalies, CdM’s Cedric Chun had seven saves, while Burchell had

six saves for the Sailors.

“Duke is a good goalie for us,” West said. “It took a perfect shot

from Jon to get it by him.”

The Sailors had opportunities to tie the game late, but solid

defensive play from Reed Glyer prevented numerous threats.

“We showed a lot of poise out there,” Dameron said. “Overall, I’m

pleased with our overall team effort out there.”

For West, he was pleased with the effort of his players as well,

particularly midfielder Tyson Wahl. “He played a heck of a game out

there,” West said. “He is really coming of age as a player and he did a

great job of controlling the middle.”

Corona del Mar will travel to San Juan Capistrano to take on

Capistrano Valley Christian today at 3:15 p.m., while the Sailors host

Costa Mesa Friday at 3:15 p.m.