Prep football: Depleted work force

Barry Faulkner

SANTA ANA - Poking fun at a limited turnout, Corona del Mar High

football coach Dick Freeman nicknamed his team the “Dirty 30” last

spring.

Through three games this fall, an outbreak of serious injuries to five

key players has both weakened the Sea Kings’ ability to compete and

tested Freeman’s creativity.

“He told me we better not fall below 30, because nothing rhymes with

20,” Kathie Freeman, Dick’s wife, said jokingly at halftime of Friday’s

47-7 loss to Newport Harbor, in which three starters were lost with

injuries.

Guard-linebacker John Daley (broken wrist), tight end-defensive end

Tyler McClellan (rib cage pull) and outside linebacker-receiver Jeff Reed

(broken collarbone) joined the list of wounded that already included

returning senior center Adam Dunn (broken leg in a summer car accident)

and receiver-defensive back Matt Feinauer (broken foot).

The Sea Kings (1-1-1), ranked No. 9 in CIF Southern Section Division

IX, will try to overcome these setbacks tonight, when they meet

Saddleback (0-3) for a 7 o’clock road game at the Santa Ana Bowl.

The Roadrunners, coached for the 28th season by Jerry Witte, a former

Anaheim High teammate of Freeman who employed the CdM head man as his

defensive coordinator for five seasons (1988-92), have problems of their

own.

With losses to Costa Mesa, Irvine and Santa Ana Valley, Saddleback is

off to its worst start in a decade and has been outscored, 97-46.

Freeman, however, said his team is not in a position to take any team

lightly. Adding to the challenge, the Sea Kings must prepare for a

diversified Saddleback offense that typically operates without a huddle,

in only three preparation days.

“Saddleback runs a lot of stuff,” Freeman said. “(The Roadrunners)

have some option and they run some of that Fly offense. It may be hard to

tell how we’ll react to the short (preparation) week.”

CdM did not react well to a physically imposing Newport team and,

thought Saddleback players lack overwhelming stature, Freeman believes

they will match the trademark toughness Witte teams have consistently

displayed.

“They’re going to be physical and that kind of worries me,” Freeman

said.

CdM has won seven of its last nine meetings with Saddleback to claim a

10-9-1 series advantage. But, to continue that trend, the Sea Kings will

need to cut down on mistakes which have created a minus-five turnover

ratio.

The CdM offense is triggered by senior quarterback Dylan Hendy, who

has thrown for 296 yards and two touchdowns this year. He has completed

25 of 49, but has thrown four interceptions.

The CdM ground game will be led by junior running backs Mark

Cianciulli (199 yards and three TDs on 40 carries) and Keith Long (114

yards and two TDs on 21 attempts).

Senior Brad Sperber (5-foot-9, 190 pounds) will fill in for Daley at

left guard, while junior Kris Cooper is scheduled to take over at tight

end for McClellan.

CdM’s leading receivers are seniors Steven Ward (six catches for 48

yards and one TD) and Paul Jones (five receptions for 95 yards).

Long will start for Reed at outside ‘backer, as the Sea Kings try to

counter a Saddleback offensive unit that has had some success.

Senior quarterback George Marquez has thrown for 415 yards and three

TDs. He has completed 39 of 70 with four interceptions, two of which were

returned for touchdowns by Santa Ana Valley, which earned a 30-20 win

last week.

The Roadrunners top ground gainers have been sophomores Ramiro Chavez

and George Gomez.

Marquez’s favorite receiving target is senior Irving Jiminez, who has

20 receptions for 200 yards and also ran for a TD against Costa Mesa.

Only two Orange County receivers have more catches.