Something new in rendezvous

Rick Devereux

Estancia and Corona del Mar high schools will open the football

season against each other for the first time Friday night at Newport

Harbor High.

It will also mark the first nonleague matchup between the two

schools since 1993.

The Eagles and Sea Kings have faced each other 30 times in 39

seasons. Corona del Mar leads the series, 17-10-3. The two have

played in five different leagues together since 1965. Estancia’s lone

winning record against Corona del Mar came in the Irvine League,

4-3-1, from 1966-73. The two teams have also played in the Pacific

Coast League from 1999-2001, the Sea View League from 1978-89, the

Century League in 1974 and ‘75, and Estancia entered the Crestview

League in 1965.

Dick Freeman is 2-1 against the Eagles in his 10 years as Corona

del Mar’s head coach. Estancia has never beaten the Sea Kings in a

nonleague game and last beat the Sea Kings, 27-24, in a 2000 Pacific

Coast matchup.

When the Eagles have the ball, second-year Estancia Coach Craig

Fertig will use multiple formations and personnel, trying to keep the

defense guessing. The top player for Estancia will be Geo Macias, a

5-foot-11, 185-pound senior who will line up at virtually any

position.

“They’re going to have to find out where Geo is,” Fertig said.

“We’re going to disguise him. He could be at tailback, fullback or

the wide receiver on either side. We’re trying to confuse the

opposing defense.”

Defensively, the Sea Kings will use four linemen, two linebackers

and five defensive backs in order to best take advantage of their

team speed.

Two-time All-Pacific Coast League wide receiver Kevin Welch, who

also plays free safety, may not play due to a lingering leg injury.

If the 6-2, 205-pound senior does sit out the season opener,

sophomores Hunt Rychel or Steve Hilgren may take his place. CdM may

have to rely on returning all-league defensive end Matt Burgner to

disrupt the Estancia offense to help ease the loss of Welch.

“Pretty much in the first game we’re going to do a little bit of

everything,” he said. “Of course we would like to have [Welch], but

he’s had a groin pull since last year that hasn’t healed up.”

Returning starting tight end Tyler Lance will probably be a main

target for quarterback Tom Welch, Kevin’s twin brother. Starting

cornerback David Del Fante could be the starting wide receiver if

Kevin sits out.

Freeman said the Sea Kings are more focused on what they need to

do instead of worrying about Estancia. Fertig said he hopes his team

stays focused while on defense.

“The option gives everyone problems,” Fertig said. “It throws a

monkey wrench in our defensive plan because they also run well and

throw well.”

Fertig has nothing but respect for the Corona del Mar program,

specifically Freeman.

“You know that team is fundamentally sound because Freeman is the

coach,” Fertig said. “You know that they won’t beat themselves.”

Fertig was concerned about the size and experience differential

between the two teams, but said the Eagles will have to be quicker.

Both coaches said the first game is important, but predicting how

a team performs after weeks of intrasquad competition is worthless.

“It’s hard to tell how the kids will do because they’ve been going

against their own guys for so long,” Freeman said. “We’ve been

talking to them about not making mistakes. If we lose, [Estancia]

will have to beat us. We don’t want to beat ourselves.”

Fertig had a similar outlook on the game.

“I’d like them to do what they’re told,” Fertig said. “I’d like to

see if we can do what we’ve practiced.”