Burgner lands with the Hoyas

The football pipeline between Corona del Mar High and Georgetown University has thickened as Sea Kings senior Matt Burgner has committed to become a Hoya.

Burgner, a two-time All-CIF Southern Section Division IX and Newport-Mesa Dream Team defensive end, who owns the school’s career record with 36 quarterback sacks, signed a national letter of intent Friday with the Division I-AA school. He said the coaches plan to use him at fullback, a position he played periodically at CdM.

Burgner said he has dreamed of playing college football since his sophomore season at CdM. He said he turned down invitations from Division III programs, hoping to eventually attract interest from schools playing at the Division I or Division I-AA level.

Burgner, a 5-foot-11 1/2 , 225-pounder who attended football camps last summer at Harvard, Yale and Princeton, said Ivy League schools liked his potential.

“But they said I was two inches too short,” he said. “I’ve been holding out for a bigger school and Georgetown finally called.”

Burgner said former Harvard assistant Luke Thompson, who remembered him from the Crimson’s summer camp and was recently hired by Georgetown, initiated Georgetown’s interest in him.

Burgner joins CdM teammate Matt Loyd, a senior tailback, in first-year Georgetown Coach Kevin Kelly’s initial recruiting class.

Kelly relaced Bob Benson, who resigned after last year’s 4-7 campaign, his 13th as head coach.

“We’re going to be roommates next year,” Burgner said of Loyd. “Since the seventh grade, he has been on every team I’ve played on.”

Former Sea Kings Kris and Matt Cooper, with whom Burgner stayed on his February recruiting visit, will be seniors on next year’s Georgetown football team.

Hoya football alumni also include former Corona del Mar standouts Adam Cooper, Ryan Cooper, George Sumner and Josh Walz.

Burgner said he will study business at the Washington, D.C. campus.

“It’s an incredible education in the best city in the world,” Burgner said.