CdM season comes to an end

ANAHEIM — A kickoff return called the “Starburst” hit Corona del Mar High. Or more like burst its bubble.

“Beware of the burst,” is something the Sea Kings didn’t look out for Friday night, making mistakes on special teams and costing themselves a shot of continuing their season.

A blocked extra point followed up by an 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown gave Cypress an edge, one it didn’t let go of. The Centurions knocked off CdM, 24-20, in a CIF Southern Section Southern Division quarterfinal game at Western High.

“Special teams killed us,” CdM Coach Dick Freeman said. “You have to contain on kickoffs.

“Sometimes we just don’t concentrate.”

Trickery can sucker a team in, and it did CdM (7-5), allowing Cypress (10-2) to advance to the semifinals, where it will meet Anaheim (11-1), a 21-17 winner over Pacifica.

Going up by only six points after the blocked extra point in the second quarter, the Sea Kings saw Cypress pull something off on the ensuing kickoff they haven’t seen all year — the Starburst.Kicker Charlie Albright’s boot to the opposition’s 20 was first handled by one Centurion, then another, and finally Jason Rivera, all exchanges done so quickly. It appeared like three cars coming in opposite directions and merging into one another without causing an accident.

By the time CdM caught on, Rivera was scooting down the sideline. There was one player standing a chance of taking down Rivera.

But that CdM player couldn’t as Rivera cut inside near the five to give the Centurions a 10-6 lead with 7:09 left before halftime.

“That tricky relay return … screwed us up,” Albright said. “Defense has always been a question for us this year.”

That didn’t change Friday.

After allowing 40 points, and also 268 yards and four touchdowns on the ground in the first round to Estancia, CdM couldn’t stop an option team from passing.

The Sea Kings played solid against the run as they gave up 122 yards, but Cypress’ biggest plays came on quarterback Matt Kanuse’s right arm.

Kanuse, who completed 9 of 13 passes for 137 yards, accounted for both offensive touchdowns. The last one proved to be the game-winner and helping the senior’s cause was a 15-yard facemask penalty on CdM during Cypress’ kickoff return.

Instead of starting at their own 36, the Centurions took over on the Sea Kings’ 49. It took six plays and five straight completions to set up Kanuse’s 10-yard strike to tight end Nick Deveau that put Cypress ahead 24-20 with 7:07 remaining.

“We were running a [defense] that just leaves me free to cover whatever guy goes deep,” said Albright, a safety, who as a receiver scored on a 60-yard pass two minutes before Cypress’ touchdown. “Our corner got sucked up on that [pass] and I was over there too late.”

With CdM’s offense, it still had plenty of time to respond.

Just like he led the Sea Kings back a handful of times against Estancia, quarterback Taylor Hughes was poised for another comeback.

The Centurions had no answers for wide receiver Steven Hillgren. The senior hauled in 10 passes for 130 yards and one touchdown.

But after Hillgren hooked up for a 17-yarder with Hughes that put the offense on the opposition’s 41, the line couldn’t pick up Kyle Devlin. The linebacker sacked Hughes twice on back-to-back plays, leaving CdM with fourth-and-25 with the clock winding down.

One more shot?

“They were just making us [one-dimensional],” said Hughes, who was sacked five times and finished with 266 yards and two touchdowns on 17 of 34 passing. “They were bringing so much heat that we’re not used to.”

So with less than three minutes left the Sea Kings elected to punt as they had all three timeouts.

But they wouldn’t see the ball again. Cypress gained three first downs and ran the clock out, allowing its players and fans to take the field the only way it knew how Friday — with a burst.