CdM rallies for 21-12 road win over Troy

Steve Virgen

Corona del Mar High Coach Dick Freeman called his football team’s

fourth-quarter effort the best he’s seen in his nine years as the Sea

Kings head man. Corona went from rock bottom to sky high in less than

12 minutes, as the Sea Kings scored 21 points in the fourth quarter

to defeat nonleague host Troy, 21-12, Friday night at Fullerton High.

“We scored 21 points in the fourth quarter this time,” Freeman

said in reference to the Sea Kings’ 34-34 tie last year, when the

Warriors scored 21 fourth-quarter points. “We just kept at it. (The

CdM coaching staff) reminded (the Sea Kings) about last year and what

Troy did to us in the fourth quarter. We told them, we need to get

ours. To come back in the fourth quarter here gives us a lot of

confidence.”

CdM senior tailback Mark Cianciulli, who did not start, ran for 88

yards and two touchdowns in the second half. He finished with 123

yards on 27 carries (4.5 yards per carry). His first touchdown, an

11-yard jaunt, started the Sea Kings’ scoring outburst and his second

score, a 16-yard rumble, capped the victory. In the middle of

Corona’s spurt, CdM sophomore Kevin Welch made a dynamic

over-the-shoulder catch for a 25-yard touchdown from quarterback

Jonathan Hubbard, that gave the Sea Kings their first lead, 13-12.

K.C. Rawlins hit the point-after kick and CdM (2-0) went up, 14-12.

“We stepped it up and had a great team effort,” Rawlins said of

the Sea Kings’ fourth quarter.

Rawlins tackled Troy’s punter at the Warriors’ 16-yard line, after

the punter mishandled the snap with 8:50 remaining and the Sea Kings

trailing, 12-7. Two plays later, Cianciulli ran the ball to the 3,

but it was called back on an illegal block penalty, that set up

Welch’s catch and Hubbard’s on-the-money throw.

The CdM defense sent Troy three and out on the ensuing possession

and Cianciulli along with senior Keith Long put the game on ice. The

Sea Kings went on a five-play, 50-yard drive, that included a 16-yard

run by Long and the 16-yard touchdown by Cianciulli.

The Sea Kings rose from their lowest point, which came in the

third quarter. CdM opened the second half with a big play, as CdM

senior Matt Cooper intercepted Troy’s first pass on the first play of

the third period. But, the Sea Kings would later fumble on Troy’s

1-yard line, on third-and-goal.

The Warriors drove down the field to CdM’s 25, but the Sea Kings

defense responded and recorded a turnover on downs. From there,

Corona began its 21-point run.