Tesoro riding atop Pacific Coast

Rick Devereux

The final Corona del Mar High football game before Halloween figured

to be a thriller, in more ways than one. With a festive halftime show

and costumed venders working the concession stand, it was bound to be

a freaky evening between the Sea Kings and Tesoro.

The Titans held off CdM, 20-7, in a Pacific Coast League game at

Newport Harbor High. It was anything but an easy win for the

visitors.

Tesoro (6-2, 3-0 in league) had to settle for a 45-yard field goal

from Joe Robles after the CdM (4-4, 1-2) defense pushed the Titans

backward on a sack and a penalty.

The teams exchanged punts for the remainder of the first quarter

until Kevin Welch intercepted a Tesoro pass at the 15 and returned

the ball to the 29.

On the ensuing play, a Sea King running back fumbled a pitch,

which Tesoro recovered on the CdM 29. On the subsequent play for the

Titans, Evan Handa took a sweep to the right and raced into the end

zone relatively untouched for a 10-0 lead in the second quarter.

Tesoro needed only one play to score again, this time a 57-yard

catch and run by Scott McKnight. On the first play following a CdM

punt, quarterback Nick Nelson threw a quick screen to McKnight, who

raced down the Tesoro sideline. A CdM defender made a diving attempt

at McKnight near the 5, but the 5-foot-11 receiver was able to keep

his balance and cross the goal line for a, 17-0, Titan lead.

“Our defense played great,” Coach Dick Freeman said. “We stop and

take a breath and [Tesoro] scores just like that.”

The Sea Kings opened the second half with an impressive drive,

highlighted by a 20-yard pass play from quarterback Tom Welch to his

twin brother, Kevin. Kevin would have scored, but a Tesoro defender

made a diving tackle at the Titan 45. Two incomplete passes and a

fumbled snap forced CdM to punt.

The CdM defense forced a three-and-out, and the Sea King offense

again marched down the field and had a would-be touchdown stopped.

Wess Presson took a pitch to the left and raced 36 yards to the

Tesoro 35 before being knocked out of bounds. He would have scored,

but a defensive back sprinted from across the field with a perfect

angle of pursuit and pushed Presson out of bounds. The run set up a

tough 40-yard field goal attempt that was pushed just to the right of

the goalpost.

CdM, ranked No. 9 in CIF Southern Section Division IX, scored

midway through the fourth quarter when Tom Welch scrambled 23 yards

for a touchdown. A 31-yard pass to Shane Collins put the ball on the

Tesoro 23 and, two plays later, Welch took off running to make it,

17-7, with 5:12 left.

Considering the Corona defense had forced Tesoro, ranked No. 2 in

Division IX, into a three-and-out situation two of its three

second-half possessions, the Sea Kings did not go for an onside kick.

The Titans returned the ball to their own 31, but a Sea King penalty

gave Tesoro great field position on the 46.

It looked as if the Titans would score two plays later when Nelson

completed a pass to a receiver, who advanced the ball to inside the

CdM 20. But a Sea King defender knocked the ball out of the

receiver’s hand and David Del Fante picked up the loose ball and

advanced it to the 19.

Corona’s chances of a comeback evaporated following an illegal

substitution penalty and a sack on fourth-and-fifteen. Tesoro called

three straight running plays and Robles booted a 47-yard field goal

with 1:06 left for the final, 20-7, tally.

“I’m real proud of how hard we played,” Freeman said. “We held

[Tesoro’s] offense. We’re a good football team.”