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

*--*