CdM back to Laguna

A new football player reminds Corona del Mar High Coach Jason Hitchens of the one he lost last year at Laguna Beach.

Tonight at 7 the Sea Kings will have Clay Reinhardt, a transfer from Mater Dei, making his debut at Laguna Beach.

On the field last year in the quarterfinals of the CIF Southern Section Southern Division playoffs, Hitchens saw the player Reinhardt is replacing season end at Laguna Beach. Dillon Norton broke his fibula and tibia.

The punt return in the fourth quarter of CdM’s 41-0 rout was a meaningless one.

Tonight means a lot to the Sea Kings and Breakers.

The two teams enter the nonleague game ranked in the top 10 in the Southern Division coaches’ poll. CdM is No. 3 and Laguna Beach No. 8.

The Sea Kings hold the edge of having outscored the Breakers, 78-0, in their previous two matchups.

Hitchens offers another advantage for CdM (1-0).

“They haven’t played a game yet,” said Hitchens of the Breakers, who open the season tonight. “I think from the conditioning and the perspective of the kids having gone through four quarters of football, we’re more ready.”

The one player missing the Sea Kings’ 34-6 victory last week against Costa Mesa is their latest addition.

Hitchens said CdM waited until the CIF cleared Reinhardt’s transfer before allowing him to play on varsity. The junior expects to start at cornerback, the same position Norton played and earned first-team All-Pacific Coast League honors last year.

Reinhardt will have his hands full whenever he has to cover Laguna Beach junior wide receiver Chris Paul. He earned All-CIF honors last season after finishing with 41 catches for 677 yards and eight touchdowns.

In practice, the 5-foot-9, 175-pound Reinhardt has impressed Hitchens.

“He might be the fastest kid on the team,” said Hitchens, adding Reinhardt didn’t have to sit out a year because he moved into CdM’s area. “He has the same speed, strength and aggression as Dillon.”

With more time, Reinhardt might see some action on offense as a wide receiver like Norton did last year.

As for returning kicks and punts, Hitchens said it is unlikely Reinhardt will assume those responsibilities. Donald Dalton has secured those duties.

Starting for the first time, Dalton returned a 70-yard free kick for a touchdown against Costa Mesa. If it weren’t for two flags calling back two other returns, the junior would have finished with three touchdowns.

Hitchens said Dalton would also see action at free safety, allowing Michael Borchard to focus on playing quarterback.

Another senior the Sea Kings want to limit on the defensive side is strong safety J.D. Abbott. Cramps slowed him down last week in the second half.

“We want to keep him fresh on offense,” said Hitchens of Abbott, who carried the ball 12 times for 104 yards and two touchdowns in the opener. “The more we’re fresh, the better we’re going to be.”