CdM needs victory

Patrick Laverty

For Corona del Mar High’s football team, the forecast is simple: Win

and it’s in.

The Sea Kings will enter the CIF Southern Section Division IX

playoffs as the Pacific Coast League’s No. 3 representative if it can

defeat University Friday at Irvine High at 7 p.m.

A loss and Corona del Mar (5-3-1, 2-1-1 in league) would have to

hope for an at-large berth.

Continuing to play without running back and cornerback Wess

Presson, who is out with a leg injury, the Sea Kings will attempt to

mimic last week’s strong performance against Tesoro, which included

nearly 400 yards of offense. Corona del Mar took the Titans, who play

Northwood for the title this week, to overtime, before falling,

28-21. The game counts as a tie for both teams, with the overtime

period played to break a tie in the standings should the teams finish

with identical records.

University (6-3, 2-2) is coming off successive victories over

Laguna Beach and Calvary Chapel after losing its first two league

games to Northwood and Tesoro.

Running a wing T offense, University will present some problems

for a Sea King defense that has allowed 63 points in its last two

games.

The Trojans have four players who have rushed for more than 240

yards in a game this season and quarterback A.J. Moskus poses as a

double threat, having rushed for 340 yards and eight touchdowns and

thrown for 1,075 yards and 11 TDs.

“They throw the ball OK, but they’ve got some real good backs,”

Corona del Mar Coach Dick Freeman said.

Because of the motion and movement associated with University’s

offense, the key for the Sea Kings’ defense will be staying

disciplined.

“Any wing-T type thing, you’ve got to play position football and

assignment football,” Freeman said.

If Corona del Mar can accomplish that on defense, it simply has to

hope its offense can repeat last week’s success.

Without Presson, junior Austin Brawner received most of the

carries against Tesoro. He gained 128 yards on 22 carries and scored

one touchdown.

The key for Brawner and sophomore tailback Brett Crowley was an

offensive line that is completely healthy for the first time all

season.

Quarterback Tom Welch threw for 180 yards and ran for 49 yards

last week. His key receiver was twin brother Kevin, who caught five

passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns.

What the offense needs to eliminate are the turnovers, of which

they had five against Tesoro, including fumbles on the only two

option plays they ran.

“The option was a new wrinkle and it was definitely there,”

Freeman said. “We’ve just got to catch the pitch.”

Freeman said the option will remain a part of the Sea Kings’ game

plan. But turnovers will likely decide whether that game plan will be

in effect for another week.