Embracing senior moments

Rick Devereux

A Corona del Mar High football team that was branded young last year

has suddenly grown up.

There were only 11 seniors on the roster in 2003 when the team

finished 5-4-1, 2-2-1 in the tough Pacific Coast League.

The offense returns 10 starters, having only to fill the left

tackle position left vacant by the graduation of first-team

all-league performer Andy Lujan (now at Army).

The defense will be just as experienced, returning nine starters

with first-team All-PCL defensive back Mordy Ornguze (now at Orange

Coast College) and second-team all-league lineman Brian Dunn having

graduated.

“There are some pretty high expectations this year,” Coach Dick

Freeman said. “It’s an intensity-type thing: No matter how much

juniors want to win, it’s never their last year.”

The majority of starters last year are now seniors and most have

played together since before entering high school.

“[The seniors] are a pretty close group,” Freeman said. “They’ve

always been successful in all the stuff they’ve done together ever

since Little League.”

The sense of togetherness was most evident in the ground game in

2003.

The Sea Kings had a string of 1,000-yard rushers for eight years

before last year. A three-pronged attack of Wess Presson, Austin

Brawner and Brett Crowley gained 1,343 combined yards on 307 carries,

a 4.4-yard average.

“I’ve always had the philosophy that I don’t want the offense to

put the defense in jeopardy,” Freeman said. “I wanted us to hold on

to the ball and control the ball.”

Freeman said CdM will continue to run, but second-year quarterback

Tom Welch may have the opportunity to pass more because Freeman is so

impressed with the receiving corps.

“This is the most well-rounded offense we’ve had in a long time,”

Freeman said. “This year, we’re going to throw the ball to help our

running game.”

Last year, the Sea Kings threw the ball 25% of the time on

offense, with Welch completing 62 of 121 passes for 1,219 yards and

11 touchdowns. His main target was his twin brother and first-team

All-Pacific Coast League receiver Kevin Welch. Kevin had a reception

in nine of the 10 games last year, while leading CdM with 28 catches

for 591 yards and eight touchdowns.

The defense will remain in a nickel-type of package, with four

linemen, two linebackers, and five defensive backs. The secondary did

well against the pass, especially in the five league contests. The

defense picked off nine passes in league games, allowing 6.7 yards

per pass attempt and 12.1 yards per completion.

“Defensively, our team speed is our major strength,” Freeman said.

“Even our linemen run well. I can’t guarantee we’ll get big and beefy

linemen, but we can always be quick off the ball.”

The top returning lineman will be Matt Burgner (6-foot, 200

pounds), who was a first-team all-PCL selection as a sophomore.

Burgner finished last year with 35 tackles, eight sacks and two

fumble recoveries out of his defensive end position.

Freeman said his starters could play on any team in any division,

but the major difference between Corona del Mar and other schools is

finding enough players for depth in case of injuries.

“When we played Tesoro, we played them strong, but we’re dealing

with an enrollment of 1,500 and they’ve got 3,000,” Freeman said.

“They’ve got more folks. We have less people. Our biggest

disadvantage is depth. We can’t rest our starters.”

While the enrollment at CdM last year was actually 1,444 compared

to Tesoro’s 2,700, Freeman said the biggest disadvantage was where

the team needs the biggest people.

“We have a good group on the line,” he said. “The starting O- and

D-line is nine guys. Depth is a big issue.”

Three of the five nonleague games this year were on the CdM

schedule last year, with Estancia and Valencia replacing Cypress and

last year’s CIF Division IX champion, La Habra.

Corona del Mar opens up the season Friday against Estancia, a team

the Sea Kings have not played since 2001.

The Sea Kings face Costa Mesa Sept. 10 and have beaten the

Mustangs by an average score of 27-14.5 the past two years.

CdM will play Troy at Fullerton High Sept. 17, one of only two

games away from Newport Harbor High’s Davidson Field. The Sea Kings

are 2-0-1 against the Warriors the past three years, including last

year’s 22-7 victory.

The Battle of the Bay against Newport Harbor will be Sept. 24. The

Sea Kings have a 1-8 record against the Sailors under Freeman. The

Valencia game will be Oct. 2, followed by a bye week.

The Sea Kings will play their second game away from Davidson Field

Oct. 16 against Calvary Chapel Oct. 16. Corona del Mar is 2-0 against

the Eagles since Calvary joined the PCL in 2001, winning by an average score of 37-7.5.

Northwood, last year’s PCL champion, will travel to Davidson Field

Oct. 22, followed by runner-up Tesoro Oct. 29 and third-place

University Nov. 4. University was the only PCL playoff team last year

that failed to advance to the second round.

The season wraps up with Laguna Beach Nov. 12. The Breakers have

never beaten Corona del Mar with Freeman at the helm.