Troy answers CdM
The Corona del Mar High football team continued its success rushing
the ball through the early part of the season Friday night in a
nonleague contest against Troy.
But the Sea Kings had some company running alongside.
Troy’s tag-team backfield of junior Chris Ramirez and sophomore
Derrick Coleman exploited holes forged by the offensive line and the
Warriors’ defense stymied CdM’s final drive to stake a 25-18 victory
in front of 2,000 spectators at Newport Harbor High.
The Sea Kings (2-1), hindered by nine penalties that sent them
retreating 76 yards, marched 50 yards in 15 plays to the Troy 27-yard
line on their final possession in two minutes, but senior safety Alex
Grane leaped to corral a CdM fourth-down toss with 32 seconds
remaining to secure the victory.
CdM senior quarterback Colin Wigley completed four of his six
passes on the drive, including a 27-yard toss to junior Steve
Hillgren along the sideline on third-and-12 to give the Sea Kings a
first down on the Troy 28 with 52 seconds remaining. Wigley hit
Hillgren on the next play for a 6-yard gain, but an illegal procedure
penalty sent the Sea Kings back to the 27 on second down and Troy’s
defense forced two straight incomplete passes before Grane’s
aforementioned interception.
Sea King senior defensive lineman John Fairbanks stopped Ramirez
on fourth-and-4 on Troy’s final drive to set the stage for the Sea
Kings’ final march.
CdM’s resolve provided Sea Kings’ Coach Dick Freeman with
encouragement despite the setback.
“We made some mistakes, but these guys kept coming back; there is
no giving up in them,” Freeman said. “There are things we can
correct, but one thing you can’t correct is fighting back and we did
that.”
The Sea Kings, who outgained Troy, 359-279, on offense, took a 6-0
lead after the first quarter and held a 12-3 edge following senior
Matt Loyd’s 70-yard touchdown burst on their first play from
scrimmage in the second quarter. Loyd, who shredded the Warrior
defense for a season-high 205 yards on 23 carries, broke three
tackles and stiff-armed a defender en route to his fourth TD this
season.
Loyd added a 50-yard kickoff return moments following Ramirez’s
6-yard TD burst off-tackle to give the Warriors (1-1) an 18-12
advantage with 53 seconds remaining in the third quarter. Troy held
the ball for nearly six minutes in its 75-yard TD drive.
The Sea Kings marched 50 yards in six plays in 1 minute, 54
seconds, following Loyd’s return. Senior fullback Matt Burgner
culminated the drive with an 18-yard TD rumble up the middle that
evened the score at 18 with 10:41 left in the contest. Burgner
crossed the goal-line with a defender clutching his ankle.
But the Sea Kings’ third missed extra point prevented the hosts
from taking a lead king a one-point lead.
Ramirez, who finished with 166 yards on 26 carries with one TD,
answered Burgner’s score with a 62-yard kickoff return to the CdM 29.
Five plays later, Coleman, who amassed 94 yards on 27 carries, plowed
into the end zone from 1-yard out to cap the scoring.
Wigley, who tallied 82 yards on 6-of-13 passing with one
interception, connected with Hillgren for a 16-yard TD toss on CdM’s
opening drive. Senior Shaun Mohler’s 28-yard burst up the middle gave
CdM a first down on the Troy 25, which keyed the drive.
Hillgren led all receivers with 64 yards on four catches while
Loyd amassed 18 yards on two catches.
Freeman expected a difficult time stopping Troy’s double-back set,
but was pleased his team had a chance to either win or tie on the
last possession.
“It came down to which [offensive] line did better,” Freeman said.
“Their line did a bit better and that’s whose team did the best.
That’s all you can ask for, to give yourself a chance at the end of
the game.”
SCORE BY QUARTERS
*--*
Troy 0 10 8 7 - 25
Corona del Mar 6 6 0 6 - 18
*--*
FIRST QUARTER
CdM -- Hillgren 16 pass from Wigley (kick failed), 9:23.
SECOND QUARTER
Troy -- Beard 21 FG, 10:44.
CdM -- Loyd 70 run (run failed), 10:20.
Troy -- Coleman 3 run (Beard kick), 7:36.
THIRD QUARTER
Troy -- Ramirez 6 run (J. Swancy pass from T. Swancy), 0:44.
FOURTH QUARTER
CdM -- Burgner 18 run (kick failed), 10:41.
Troy -- Coleman 1 run (Beard kick), 8:52.
A -- 2,000 (est.)
INDIVIDUAL RUSHING
Troy -- T. Swancy, 2-minus-10; Coleman, 27-94, 2 TDs; Beard, 2-7;
Ramirez, 26-166, 1 TD; Prico, 2-10.
CdM -- Loyd, 23-205, 1 TD; Mohler, 4-32; Burgner, 5-38, 1 TD;
Folks, 2-2; Wigley, 2-0.
INDIVIDUAL PASSING
Troy -- T. Swancy, 4-7-1, 12.
CdM -- Wigley, 6-13-1, 82, 1 TD.
INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING
Troy -- J. Swancy, 1-11; Coleman, 3-1.
CdM -- Hillgren, 4-64, 1 TD; Loyd, 2-18.
GAME STATISTICS
*--*
Troy CdM
First downs 17 14
Rushes-yardage 58-276 35-279
Passing yardage 12 82
Passing 4-7-1 6-13-1
Net return yards* 0 0
Sacks-yardage 1-9 1-2
Net yardage 279 359
Punts 2-32 2-39.5
Fumbles-fumbles lost 4-2 3-2
Flags-net yardage 6-30 9-76
Time of possession 28:57 19:03
*Punt returns, interceptions, fumble returns
*--*
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