Prep football: Sea Kings build base

Barry Faulkner

CORONA DEL MAR - For the first time in five seasons, the Corona del

Mar High football team kicked off the year by pouring a successful

foundation, which Sea Kings Coach Dick Freeman identified as equal parts

attitude, intensity and execution.

The result was a 42-17 come-from-behind triumph Friday against Cypress

that enabled CdM to snap a four-game losing streak in season debuts, as

well as a three-game skid dating back to last season.

“We’ve talked to the kids a lot about attitude,” Freeman said. “We

knew Cypress was taller, bigger and faster than us and, man for man, (the

Centurions) would win every battle on paper. We just wanted to hit them,

keep hitting them and see what happened after that.”

The results weren’t immediately rewarding, as Cypress, coming off a

10-2 season and holding the No. 4 preseason ranking in CIF Southern

Section Division VI, took a 17-10 halftime lead. But the Sea Kings stayed

with it and were eventually rewarded.

“We thought we were in pretty good shape at halftime, because we were

down because of our mistakes, more than what they had done,” Freeman

said. “Then, we came out in the third quarter and had success early,

which helped.”

A 1-yard touchdown run by senior quarterback Dylan Hendy drew the Sea

Kings, No. 4 in the preseason CIF Division IX poll, to within a field

goal with 8:23 left in the third quarter. A 28-point CdM onslaught

followed in the fourth quarter.

The four-touchdown explosion, which preliminary research indicates is

the Sea Kings’ most productive quarter in at least 528 periods, dating

back to the late 1980s, was enough to topple the Centurions.

Freeman now hopes it is enough to propel his team toward a season of

distinction.

“You have to start with a base,” Freeman said. “And when you have a

good attitude, you’re on your way to having the whole thing licked. These

guys have shown signs of it, but, having to cut back practices the way we

did (limiting physical contact after an early outbreak of minor

injuries), we weren’t sure what we’d see in a game.”

Freeman said he and his staff now know they can expect the Sea Kings

to compete with anyone on their schedule.

In addition to the overall mind-set, Freeman had to plenty to be

pleased about, in terms of specifics.

“We thought we’d be able to run and our guys up front blocked very

well,” Freeman said.

“We made some good choices in the passing game and threw pretty well,

but we didn’t throw as much as we might have.

“And, defensively, we did a great job. We didn’t have too many

breakdowns, though we may have lost concentration on (Cypress’) 80-yard

scoring drive. Even then, we didn’t give up a big play.

We made them earn it.”

Among those Freeman singled out was junior defensive tackle Jayson

Skalla and senior tight end Mike McClellan.

Another huge plus for the Sea Kings was avoiding additional injuries,

which will benefit them as they prepare to face Troy, a 35-0 winner over

San Dimas in its opener, Friday night.

“We told them after the game that from now on, standing still is going

backward,” Freeman said.