Prep football: Battling the injury bug

Barry Faulkner

CORONA DEL MAR - Whether it needed to or not, the Corona del Mar

High football team used its first offensive practice in full gear

Thursday to go over its empty backfield (no back) offense. It’s

difficult, after all, to run anything else when you have no healthy

backs.

Starting candidates Mark Cianciulli (hip flexor strain) and Keith Long

(sprained ankle) are among the Sea King ball carriers who have sustained

nagging setbacks thus far, slowing the progress of Coach Dick Freeman’s

squad.

The trainers room was crowded with players dinged up after the first

three days in helmets, T-shirts and shorts. The Sea Kings, whose roster

includes 35 players, dressed 26 for Thursday morning’s first practice,

the season’s first in full gear.

Matt Boyce (shoulder) and Matt Warsaw (pulled muscle) are additional

backs sidelined.

Freeman said Cianciulli would likely miss the Aug. 31 scrimmage, in

order to ensure his injury is fully behind him by the time the Sea Kings

open Sept. 7 against Cypress.

The injuries have also made it difficult to take advantage of the

addition of full pads.

“When you’re only suiting up 26 guys, you can’t go banging on your own

people,” Freeman said. “None of our drills were live. Instead, we had

about three live (scrimmage) plays.”

Despite the limited numbers, Freeman reports a healthy attitude from

his players, who are coming off a 3-8 season in which they made the

school’s third straight trip to the CIF playoffs.

“We’re finding out guys are competitive,” he said.

The unusually limited turnout isn’t the only novelty this season, as

the team has changed its aesthetic by shifting from silver helmets to

navy blue.

“It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while,” Freeman said. “I don’t

know why, but I’ve always liked dark helmets. It gives us a different

look and I think the kids are excited about it.”

Yet another first during the Freeman era is the practice of sending

players home in between morning and afternoon sessions. Freeman said the

new midday breaks allow the players to get away from the football

environment in the comfort of their own homes. It also works with

Freeman’s desire to start the first practice earlier and the afternoon

session later, to avoid peak temperatures.

“We wanted to try going hard, going away, then going hard again,”

Freeman said.

The new schedule, as well as some unusually cool weather for this time

of year, have given Freeman a new environmental challenge to combat.

“It’s been so cool, we’ve had something close to wind chill,” said

Freeman, whose campus location atop a coastal bluff provides one of the

breeziest environs in Orange County, particularly as sunset nears.

Like last year, CdM will join Villa Park and Pacifica in a

three-school scrimmage, scheduled for 2 p.m. at El Modena High.