Freeman cool with turnout

Around 40 players came out for Corona del Mar High’s spring football practice and Dick Freeman was cool with the turnout.

“You can put it that way,” said Freeman, sounding relaxed until he was asked why the low numbers. “Some of the guys who played lacrosse [this spring] are not coming out. Maybe they’re tired.”

The numbers were down 15 from what Freeman expected, but the long-time coach was just thrilled to see one player running again as the Sea Kings wrapped the final day of spring ball Friday.

Linebacker Erik Rask is back with the program after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee last year. Talk of Rask put Freeman in a good mood.

“He’s not up to speed with the rest of the guys,” said Freeman, adding that Rask is still rehabbing and that Stanford and the Ivy League schools are recruiting the 6-foot-1, 190-pounder. “But he’s running, so that’s a good sign.”

Freeman said he expects Rask to be ready for the upcoming season, his senior year, and perform the way he did through eight games last year.

Rask made 109 tackles and then midway through the second quarter he suffered the injury and CdM lost, 26-20, to eventual Pacific Coast League champion Laguna Hills. It marked the end for Rask and CdM’s chance to continue its hot streak of four straight wins.

“We could’ve used him,” said Freeman, whose team went 2-2 the rest of the way, finishing 7-5 overall, 2-2 in league, good enough for second place, before losing to Cypress, 24-20, in the quarterfinals of the CIF Southern Section Southern Division playoffs.

Freeman acknowledges a couple of big-time seniors from that team won’t be back. Who will take over Newport-Mesa Player of the Year Steven Hillgren at wide receiver, defensive back, kick returner and punt returner? How about the quarterback job held by Taylor Hughes, the Newport-Mesa Offensive Player of the Year?

The two seniors were All-CIF Southern Section Southern Division picks. Freeman said it’s been arduous to find one player during spring ball to replace the Georgetown-bound Hillgren at every position as he finished with 52 receptions for 932 yards and 11 touchdowns, made nine interceptions, and returned kickoffs of 99 and 73 yards for scores while averaging 37 yards per return.

At quarterback, Freeman has two guys, Mitch Sands and Hunter Alder, battling for the job and Freeman said they looked good during spring. But whoever wins out will have huge expectations after Hughes last year set single-season records for yards passing (2,204) and touchdowns (22).

Freeman said both quarterbacks are around 6-foot-1, with Alder, a junior, weighing 190 pounds, 15 pounds heavier than Sands, a sophomore. Alder also has more experience than Sands as he backed up Hughes, throwing for 324 yards with three touchdowns and four interceptions.

“It’s still up for grabs,” said Freeman before going back to only having 40 guys around spring practice. “I kind of like it now because we don’t have an extra 20 guys standing around and not doing anything.”

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at david.carrillo@latimes.com.