CdM wins wild one in fog

NEWPORT BEACH — The team that produced the first exception, ultimately ruled in a CIF Southern Section Southern Division first-round football playoff game between host Corona del Mar High and Estancia Friday night at Newport Harbor High.

In a seesaw contest that included 899 yards of combined offense, 84 combined points, 41 combined first downs, and exactly zero punts, there came the initial instance in which the defense rose up and recorded a stop.

Not counting four possessions that ended in turnovers and two others halted when the final seconds of the half ticked away after the quarterback intentionally took a knee, it was the Corona del Mar defense that made the Eagles’ offense blink first, helping the Sea Kings record a 44-40 win.

CdM (7-4) advances to face Cypress (9-2) in the quarterfinals Friday at a site of Cypress’ choosing. The Centurions upset No. 2-seeded Western, 28-24, Friday, to advance.

The Sea Kings’ second postseason victory since 1995 (they also won in the first round last season) became much more possible late in the third quarter.

On fourth-and-one at the CdM 30-yard line, junior defensive lineman Stephen Deverian penetrated into the center of the Estancia line to all but single-handedly stymie an option play.

Deverian’s push forced Estancia quarterback Mike Morley to rescind his initial intent to hand the fullback the ball. Morley, who orchestrated the option attack with explosive results all night, attempted to reverse pivot around the mounting pile of humanity that Deverian created, only to stumble as he dived just off tackle. The result was a two-yard loss and the arrival of the CdM offense, which, for the seventh straight possession, produced points.

After the turnover on downs, the Sea Kings went 68 yards on 11 plays turn a 34-31 deficit into a 37-34 lead.

Junior tight end Ali Meshkin, all alone in the end zone, hauled in the third of Taylor Hughes’ touchdown passes with 10:13 left in the game to give the Sea Kings their first lead since 14-13.

A muffed option pitchout on Estancia’s next offensive play — recovered by Sea Kings sophomore Dan DiChirro — gave CdM possession at the Eagles’ 32-yard line.

Three running plays later, senior fullback Austin Ray rumbled 12 yards into the end zone with 8:47 left. Charlie Albright’s conversion kick gave CdM a 44-34 advantage, but the scrappy Eagles (7-4) weren’t dead yet.

On the first play after the ensuing kickoff, Morley hit Matt Redding on a quick slant and Redding burst through the secondary for a 65-yard touchdown with 8:34 left.

The Estancia defense got the ball back — with its only true stop of the game — when a CdM pass went out of bounds on fourth-and-eight with 4:11 remaining.

But if the Eagles and their fans allowed themselves to dream of a dramatic comeback drive, Ford had a better idea.

Ford Noe, a CdM junior outside linebacker, that is.

Noe led a group of Sea Kings to halt an option pitch for no gain on first down at the Estancia 26. On the next play, Noe sacked Morley for a four-yard loss.

Two incomplete passes followed including an end-around bomb after a timeout on fourth-and-14, and the Sea Kings ran the clock out to deny Estancia its first playoff win since 1980.

The Eagles, however, gained respect from their district rivals by continually carving out yardage against the CdM defense.

“They did a good job on offense,” CdM Coach Dick Freeman said. “That option killed us. They did a great job of blocking it.”

Morley, most often flowing left after faking a dive, produced 121 rushing yards on 20 carries.

Meanwhile, senior tailback Rafael Alejandre was hammering away between the tackles on his way to 119 rushing yards on 18 attempts.

Morley ran for three scores and threw for two more, finishing six of eight for 118 yards through the air.

“Our kids played their butts off,” Estancia Coach Brian Barnes said. “I’m very proud of my team.”

But CdM had an answer, offensively and on special teams.

After Redding returned a CdM fumble 31 yards to the Sea Kings 17-yard line to set up the game’s first touchdown, the Sea Kings used efficient drives and quick strikes to keep pace as its defense struggled.

Folks, who amassed 147 of his 205 rushing yards after halftime, capped a seven-play, 72-yad drive with a six-yard run to put CdM on the scoreboard.

After a nine-play Estancia touchdown drive, CdM senior Steven Hillgren, who played arguably the best game of his career, despite a gimpy ankle, went 83 yards for a touchdown on a quick slant.

The two teams kept trading scores the rest of the half.

Albright countered a 24-yard Alejandre scoring run with a 25-yard field goal, before Morley darted past would-be tacklers on a five-yard option keeper for a touchdown with 1:12 left.

But Hillgren, who also had two interceptions to give him nine for the season and a up his school career record to 18, alternately sprinted, cut and glided to set up blocks on a 78-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

“I think that [Hillgren] score at the end of the half may have been the turning point,” Freeman said.

Hillgren, who finished with three receptions for 138 yards, scored on a 49-yard play-action bomb on the Sea Kings’ first second-half possession.

That TD answered an 80-yard, 14-play Estancia scoring procession that ended with Morley scoring on a one-yard sneak.

“We were a little upset early in the week about them talking,” said Hillgren, a reference to newspaper quotes in which the Eagles expressed confidence they could win. “But [the Eagles] backed it up.”

Folks, who doubles at outside linebacker, said the Eagles surprised them with their option.

“We didn’t practice against an option all week,” Folks said. “We started slow, but our offense picked it up. Our line came together at halftime and said we aren’t going to lose this game.”

The postgame handshakes between coaching staffs ended early and with some ill will, after Barnes protested the appearance of Calvary Chapel coaches on the CdM sideline and in the CdM press box.

“[Calvary Chapel head coach] Lyle Lansdell [a former longtime CdM assistant] is my best friend and he was helping me out tonight,” Freeman said. “We run the same offense and the same defense and we were short on coaches in the press box. It’s not like [Lansdell] had any big secret. We watched all of Estancia’s games on videotape.”