Opportunity abounds for Sea Kings

With 19 starters returning for the 2004 season, spots in the Corona

del Mar High football team’s starting lineup were as coveted as beach

parking on Labor Day.

But with only two starters back on offense and two on defense this

season, Sea King practices have been doubling as open auditions.

To accentuate the dearth of proven commodities this season, the

cumulative contribution among returners amounts to 97 rushing yards

(on 15 carries, including two touchdowns), 81 passing yards (3 of 6

attempts without an interception or a TD), and 54 receiving yards

(four receptions, including one TD).

But despite this paucity of practical varsity experience, Coach

Dick Freeman believes that if his team can remain relatively injury

free, it can pursue its sixth trip to the CIF Southern Section

playoffs in the last eight seasons.

Here’s a position-by-position breakdown:

Quarterback: Senior Shaun Mohler, a second-team All-Pacific Coast

League inside linebacker last fall and the frontrunner to start under

center, is among the team’s better athletes.

A 6-foot-3, 200-pound, strong-armed left-hander, he completed 1 of

3 passes last season for 46 yards. He is also a potential threat as a

runner, said Freeman, who would consider moving Mohler to tailback,

should the need arise.

The aforementioned shift for Mohler would also be contingent on

the development of senior Colin Wigley, who, Freeman said, improved

steadily during the summer.

Wigley (6-1, 170) was 2 of 3 for 35 yards in brief duty last

season.

“Right now, Mohler is the starting quarterback,” said Freeman, who

said Mohler’s running ability would suit an option game similar to

the one Tom Welch triggered last season. “But if Colin comes up and

does what he’s done in the spring and summer, it would give us other

options.”

Running backs: There is, perhaps, no greater uncertainty than who

could become the featured ball carrier, Freeman said.

Junior Dio Johnson (6-4, 230), whose physical prowess tempted some

to project him as a potential breakthrough performer at tailback,

will need knee surgery to repair cartilage, Freeman said, and is

likely lost for the season.

Johnson carried 15 times for 97 yards and two TDs as a sophomore.

That would have made him, by far, the team’s most productive

skill-position returner.

“He’s an awesome specimen and a naturally strong kid,” Freeman

said.

Freeman said senior Matt Loyd (5-10, 175) could bring speed to the

position. He will open the season Friday against Estancia as the

starter.

Juniors Tommy Folks (5-6, 150) and Danny Malycky (5-11, 155) are

other potential contributors.

Matt Burgner (6-0, 225), an All-CIF Southern Section Division IX

defensive end last season, is slated to start at fullback. He carried

twice for 2 yards last season and caught one pass for 5 yards.

“He runs pretty well and he’s a tough kid,” Freeman said of

Burgner, who is also one of the team leaders.

Junior Austin Ray (6-0, 195) and senior Mike Gratzinger (5-8, 190)

provide depth at fullback. Gratzinger is a newcomer who plays for the

school’s lacrosse team.

Receivers: Kevin Welch, an All-CIF performer last season who is

now a walk-on at Indiana, leaves some big shoes to fill after

catching 39 passes for 735 yards and nine touchdowns in 2004.

Junior Steve Hillgren (5-10, 170), with one catch for 27 yards

last fall, is the only returner with varsity stats to his credit. But

Hillgren has been sidelined by hamstring and quadriceps problems in

the early going, Freeman said.

Junior Charlie Albright (5-9, 165), and sophomore Ali Meshkin

(6-4, 200) are the projected starters. Meshkin has been shifted from

tight end.

Malycky, junior Hunt Rychel (6-3, 205) and senior Ryan Dupuie

(6-2, 165) are additional candidates.

Dupuie, a newcomer to football, has been a contributor to the Sea

Kings’ tennis team.

[Dupuie] walked into my classroom last spring and asked what he

would need to do to play football,” Freeman said. “I said, ‘Can you

fog up a mirror?’ ”

Tight end: Senior Avery Fenton is one of two returning starters on

offense. He assumed the starting job last season when senior Tyler

Lance was injured and caught two passes for 22 yards, including a

19-yard TD reception in a 42-14 league win over University in Week 9.

Fenton (6-3, 220) is another team leader who Freeman said sets the

ultimate example to his teammates with his outstanding work ethic.

Junior Ford Noe (6-1, 180) is a backup.

Offensive line: Senior John Fairbanks (6-3, 240) is a returning

starter at left tackle.

Freeman said Fairbanks, who attended several football camps at

Division I schools in the summer, could be a Division I prospect.

“He has good technique, he’s coachable and he’s a tough kid,”

Freeman said.

Sophomore Max Prescott (6-2, 230) is the frontrunner at the other

tackle spot, though senior John Joyce (6-6, 230) who rejoined the

program days before practice opened, could earn a prominent role.

Freeman said Prescott reminds him of Justin Shea, a former CdM

standout who played collegiately at Colorado State, in terms of his

work ethic and aggressive attitude.

Senior Taylor Peselk (6-1, 250) and junior Arion Lapuz are

additional candidates up front, likely at guard, as is sophomore

James McKennon (6-0, 190).

Freeman said junior Steven Dean (6-0, 240) could seize the

starting nod at center, where sophomore Stephen Deverian (5-10, 170)

is also in the mix.

Sophomores Kevin Rask (5-10, 150) and Michael Kidushim (5-8, 175),

as well as junior Keaten Price (6-2, 210) provide depth.

Defensive line: Burgner will anchor the three-man front at an end

spot. He had 16 sacks last season and has 24 for his career, seven

shy of the school career record.

Fairbanks is expected to assume double duty as the starting

noseguard, while Rychel is the frontrunner to start at the other end

spot.

Others battling for playing time up front are Peselk, Deverian,

McKennon and Meshkin. Peselk appears to have won the starting nod for

the opener, Feeman said.

Freeman said the three-stack defensive scheme that will be

employed this year involves a lot of stunting, with linemen

frequently slanting into the gaps.

Linebackers: Mohler, whom Freeman calls a big-time high school

player, will be used as a stack ‘backer, in the five-linebacker

configuration.

Freeman said there is a traditional middle ‘backer, flanked by two

inside “stack” backers, one or both of whom may stack behind down

linemen.

Then there are two outside ‘backers and can either stack behind

the end, or be positioned outside the end, either dropped off the

line or on the line, like the traditional stand-up ends in the

five-two “Okie” defenses that dominated in the 1970s.

“It’s fun to coach and the kids like it,” Freeman said of the

defense, which, he believes, will be a challenge for opposing coaches

to prepare for, since it has so many options in terms of player

deployment.

Fenton, who played some defensive end as a junior, is slated to

open at middle linebacker, while Ray will likely start at the other

stack ‘backer. Freeman said Ray could also play in the middle.

Folks and Noe are the frontrunners at the outside spots, while

sophomore Erik Rask and junior Gavin Juarez are also outside

candidates.

Projected backups inside include junior Nick Reese (6-0, 177),

sophomore Shian Jaliki (5-10, 195), Kidushim and Gratzinger.

Secondary: This is another area where there were no clear

frontrunners when practice began.

Loyd and Dupuie have emerged at cornerback, while Albright is

expected to open at safety.

Loyd received some varsity experience at corner last season.

Malycky played well over the summer, Freeman said, and Wigley is

another possibility to receiving playing time.

Kicking game: Hillgren had been projected to handle punting as

well as field goals and PATs, while Mohler had some experience

punting last season.

Fenton and Dean are capable long-snappers, Freeman said.

Hillgren, when healthy, is also expected to return kicks, a chore

that also may fall to Albright, Loyd and Folks.