CdM loses again

Tony Altobelli

POMONA - After a first half of near-flawless execution, Corona del

Mar High’s football team unraveled in the second half en route to a 41-22

nonleague loss to host Pomona Friday night at Ganesha High.

“I don’t really know what there’s to say,” said unhappy Sea King Coach

Dick Freeman. “Once Pomona got into (its) game plan, we simply fell

apart.”

The Sea Kings (0-2) jumped out to a 16-0 first-half lead, while

holding Pomona’s explosive offense to only one first.

But the Red Devils (2-0) came out red hot, scoring touchdowns on all

six of their second-half offensive possessions.

“We can’t tackle,” Freeman said. “We’re not going to beat anybody this

year until we learn how to tackle.”

On a more positive note, CdM senior wide receiver Matt Moore caught

four passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns.

The Sea Kings’ quarterback tandem of junior Dylan Hendy and Joe Barber

combined for 217 passing yards, but threw three costly interceptions.

Devils quarterback Odell Howard was 14 of 21 for 245 yards and four

touchdowns, while speedster Eric Shyne, who rushed for 227 yards last

week, ran for 115 yards on Friday, including an 84-yard touchdown run.

It was CdM, however, which took control early. Barber connected with

Tyler McClellan on a 22-yard touchdown pass that gave the Sea Kings a 6-0

first-quarter lead.

After a Jon-Luke Del Fonte 30-yard field goal, Moore got behind the

Devils’ secondary and Hendy found him with a 56-yard touchdown pass,

giving CdM a 16-0 lead with 4:15 remaining in the first half.

“We can do it, but right now we’re not doing it too often,” Freeman

said.

Pomona regrouped in the second half and controlled both sides of the

football.

CdM managed only three first downs in the second half, and with the

exception of a 65-yard touchdown pass from Barber to Moore, did not move

the ball effectively.

Blake Hacker was CdM’s leading rusher, running for 60 yards on 15

carries, but, like the rest of the Sea Kings, was quiet most of the

second half.

But, according to Freeman, tackling will take center stage as the Sea

Kings prepare for their Back Bay rival Newport Harbor.

“There’s still a long way to go in the season, but we better start

getting busy defensively if we’re going to have any kind of success,”

Freeman said.