Mesa, CdM collide

Corona del Mar High has defeated district football rival Costa Mesa

three straight seasons and 27 of their 35 meetings.

And first-year Mustangs Coach Jay Johnson enters Friday’s

nonleague clash -- kickoff at 7 p.m. at Newport Harbor High -- with

an inauspicious history of his own against the Sea Kings.

Johnson, then coaching Calvary Chapel, suffered a 50-8 setback in

his only meeting with Coach Dick Freeman’s CdM squad in 2002.

CdM is looking for its second straight win over a Newport-Mesa

school, after dispatching Estancia, 26-6, in Friday’s opener.

Mesa, meanwhile, is looking for its first points of the season,

following a 30-0 loss to Brea Olinda Friday.

Freeman was generally satisfied with his team’s 2004 debut and

plans to make no adjustments to his starting lineup.

Johnson, however, is looking for improvement in numerous areas

this week.

The Sea Kings were led offensively last week by senior tailback

Matt Loyd, who amassed 187 rushing yards on 23 carries against

Estancia.

Seniors Shaun Mohler and Colin Wigley virtually split time at

quarterback for the Sea Kings, for whom senior Steven Hillgren had a

team-high three receptions for 61 yards and one touchdown.

Costa Mesa debuted its no-huddle spread offense with little

success, though senior tailback Tyler Legg provided the exception.

Legg, a first-team All-Golden West League performer in 2004, rushed

for 79 yards on 18 carries.

“We just couldn’t get any rhythm going, offensively,” Johnson

said. “But a lot of that had to do with Brea’s defensive line.”

Costa Mesa offensive linemen should be similarly challenged this

week against a CdM defensive front anchored by senior standouts Matt

Burgner and John Fairbanks.

Burgner, (6-foot, 225 pounds) a two-time All-Newport-Mesa honoree

who was All-CIF Southern Section Division IX last season, had two

sacks against Estancia to up his career total to 26. He is now just

five shy of tying the school career sack record held by Roger Rolle.

Fairbanks (6-3, 240) was dominant at noseguard in the opener, as

was Mohler, who starts at inside linebacker in the Sea Kings’ new

three-stack scheme.

Junior defensive end Keaten Price also had an impressive debut for

the Sea Kings.

Mesa surrendered 414 yards of offense to Brea and committed four

turnovers.

The Mustangs’ standouts include two-way senior starters Juan Diaz

and Robert De La Cruz. Diaz starts at offensive and defense tackle,

while De La Cruz starts at guard and middle linebacker.

“All in all, we had way too many offensive mistakes,” CdM Coach

Dick Freeman said after last week’s win over Estancia.