FROM THE SPORTS DESK:Favreau grows up quickly

MISSION VIEJO — You usually don’t see passes like the one Chase Favreau threw in youth football, even during a championship game for 11- and 12-year-olds.

Favreau, the 12-year-old quarterback for the Newport-Mesa Junior All-American Seahawks, hung in the pocket with such poise amid a heavy pass rush from Carson and delivered a sensational throw in double coverage.

These games are supposed to be about the fundamentals — the team with the best offensive and defensive lines usually come away with the championship.

But, for a moment, Favreau was on an elite level in the Pee Wee Super Bowl at Mission Viejo High. His 20-yard touchdown pass to Jake Stowell was impressive, to say the least. The Seahawks lost the game, 26-16, on Sunday, but Favreau displayed a glimpse of what he might become in the future.

That’s apparently good news for Corona del Mar High. The seventh-grader at Corona del Mar Intermediate said he will probably to go to CdM High in a couple years.

The Sea Kings will most likely welcome the signal caller who showed great instincts on his touchdown pass to Stowell. Seahawks Coach Tim Kuzmic said Favreau went with his second read on the play, finding Stowell on a slant route.

“People were saying I was a great coach for calling that play,” Kuzmic said. “But he’s just a great player.”

Favreau, even though he has another year of Junior All-American football, has already left a lasting impression on Kuzmic.

“He’s one of the best Pee Wee football players I’ve ever seen,” Kuzmic said of Favreau, who also forced a fumble. “Chase Favreau is amazing. He’s going to be an absolute superstar in Orange County high school football.”

Favreau, who also excels in baseball, also showed great leadership throughout the season.

“He’s really been the emotional leader of our team,” Kuzmic said. “He’s really kept us in games. He’s given the kids the right attitude to go to the game with. Each game, no matter what, he’s always fired up to play and he’s always motivating the other players to get fired up to play. He’s just a special player.”

Not really concentrating on remaining poised, Favreau just wanted to get his team back in the game. The touchdown pass made the score, 20-16, Carson. The Seahawks had been in a 20-0 hole. Favreau wanted to help remind his teammates the importance of the game.

He had been psyched up ever since arriving to Mission Viejo High on Sunday.

“The adrenaline rush, right when you get on the field, it’s like you’re in a different zone,” he said. “You think, ‘Whoa, I made it to the Super Bowl. It was amazing.”

Favreau and his teammates weren’t Super Bowl champs, but as trite as it might sound, just getting there was a huge victory for Newport-Mesa Junior All-American Football.

The Pee Wee Seahawks finished the season 10-3.

That included a big 20-16 win over Mission Viejo in the AFL championship. Orange County Junior All-American Football is divided into AFL and NFL divisions.

“Just being represented in the Super Bowl it is a big benefit to our program,” said Doug Kanen, the NMJAAF president. “It helps our program tremendously. It helps people see it. They want to get involved with the program and they want to help. We had six teams in six different divisions and we had about 200 players in the program. We’re looking to expand that.”