Football: Northwood tops CdM, 35-21

Richard Dunn

IRVINE - If how you play in the regular-season finale against an

undefeated team carries any weight in the selection process for the lone

at-large berth in the CIF Southern Section Division IX football playoffs,

Corona del Mar High might be in pretty good shape.

While the final score might suggest otherwise -- a 35-21 Pacific Coast

League victory for host Northwood over CdM Thursday night at Irvine High

-- Coach Dick Freeman’s Sea Kings (5-4-1, 2-3 in the PCL) were knocking

on the door of an upset and came within a dropped interception of tying

the game in the fourth quarter.

“If we intercept that pass, and it doesn’t hit (our defender) in the

hands, it’s a different ballgame,” said Freeman, referring to Northwood’s

first offensive play of the fourth quarter.

Capping CdM’s longest drive of the second half, junior running back

Mark Cianciulli found a hole and opened the fourth quarter with a 37-yard

touchdown run, pulling the visitors to within a touchdown of the PCL

champion Timberwolves (10-0, 5-0).

On Northwood’s ensuing series beginning at midfield, CdM missed a

chance for an interception and the T-wolves took advantage by driving for

another score and a two-touchdown lead, 27-14.

“We had (an upset). We had everything we needed. We just dropped a

some passes,” Freeman said. “But we may get into the playoffs. We’ve only

lost to ranked teams. I think playing well (in the final game) does help

us. We played a real good game. I’m pretty happy, as happy as I can get I

guess.”

Cianciulli carried the offensive load with 163 ground yards and three

touchdowns on 18 rushes. His touchdowns were from 72, 37 and 22 yards

out.

“But stopping (the Timberwolves) from scoring was tough,” Freeman

added. “They had the ball almost the whole third quarter.”

Northwood, which dominated the game statistically, used a balanced

attack from the air (189 passing yards by quarterback Dan Tomcheck) and

the ground (153 rushing yards on 34 carries by senior running back Andy

Meyer).

After the Timberwolves led at halftime, 14-7, they started the second

half with a drive that lasted nearly nine minutes, finished by Meyer with

a 3-yard touchdown run.

Northwood fumbled on the previous play inside the 5-yard line, but

Steve Lucas recovered for the T-wolves, who avoided a huge turnover.

On CdM’s next series, a Sea King punt was partially blocked, but Mordy

Ornguze recovered downfield to give Freeman’s squad new life, and, five

plays later, Cianciulli scored on a 37-yard run. K.C. Rawlins booted the

extra point and the Sea Kings trailed, 21-14, with plenty of football

remaining.

“I thought Corona del Mar had one of the best offensive lines we’ve

seen all year,” Northwood Coach Rick Curtis said. “They block really

well. I think (the Sea Kings) should get into the playoffs. They’re a

good football team. They should be the at-large team. I’d vote for them.”

The Sea Kings, led on defense by junior tackle Jayson Skalla, have

spent the entire campaign in the Division IX top 10, including three

weeks at No. 4. They’ll find out Sunday if they’re a part of the 16-team

postseason bracket.

In the game’s opening series against Northwood, CdM quarterback Dylan

Hendy fired two incomplete passes, including the first pass when an open

receiver fell down. But, on third-and-10, Cianciulli ran 72 yards for a

touchdown on a draw to stun the heavily favored hosts.