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Corona del Mar football outlasts Downey Warren to move on in CIF-SS playoffs

Corona del Mar's Cooper Hoch catches a Hail Mary pass to seal the win late in the fourth quarter against Downey Warren.
Corona del Mar’s Cooper Hoch catches a Hail Mary pass to seal the win late against Downey Warren.
(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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The Corona del Mar High football team and host Downey Warren went toe-to-toe for much of the game in the opening round of the CIF Southern Section Division 2 playoffs.

And it took a Hail Mary pass late in the fourth quarter to finally decide it in favor of the Sea Kings, who advanced with a 42-35 victory.

CdM opened the scoring on the first drive, but by the end of the first quarter, Warren built a 15-7 lead.

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Midway through the second quarter, CdM quarterback David Rasor scored on a short run into the end zone to make it 15-14.

The Bears increased their lead to 22-14 at the half. Warren scored again in the third quarter but CdM roared back with a TD to make it 28-21 in favor of the host team.

Seven seconds into the fourth quarter, CdM tied the game 28-28 with a scamper into the end zone by Rasor.

With 6:18 left in the game, CdM’s Cooper Hoch found himself all alone behind the defenders and caught a 64-yard pass, giving the Sea Kings a 35-28 lead.

But, on the ensuing kickoff, Warren scored a TD in 13 seconds to tie the game again 35-35.

With 1:08 left in the game and CdM on fourth-and-17, Rasor threw a hail Mary pass to the double-defended Cooper Hoch.

The junior wide receiver caught the ball in the end zone while falling backward to give his team the lead again.

After a couple of sacks by the CdM defense, Warren found itself in a hole with a fourth-and-19 at its own 6-yard line. With 44 seconds left in the game, Ryan Nielsen sealed the win with a sack.

Corona del Mar #45 Ryan Nielsen and #3 Mason Kubichek celebrate Nielsen's QB sack t
Corona del Mar’s Ryan Nielsen (45) and Mason Kubichek (3) celebrate Nielsen’s quarterback sack to seal the win.
(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
Corona Del Mar QB David Rasor completes a pass to #7 John Tipton .
Corona del Mar’s David Rasor completes a pass to John Tipton (7).
(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
Corona del Mar wide receiver Cooper Hoch (9) makes a diving catch in first half.
(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
Corona del Mar's Max Lane gets caught from behind by Marquise Villahermosa.
Corona del Mar’s Max Lane gets caught from behind by Marquise Villahermosa.
(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
Downey Warren #24 Devan Stamps runs the ball in home game vs. Corona Del Mar.
Warren’s Devan Stamps runs the ball against Corona del Mar.
(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
Corona del Mar quarterback David Rasor throws the ball under pressure.
Corona del Mar quarterback David Rasor throws the ball under pressure.
(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
Corona del Mar's Max Lane gets caught from behind.
(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
Corona del Mar's Cooper Hoch finds himself all alone behind the defense and runs for a 64-yard TD.
(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
Corona del Mar's Max Lane can't grab the ball as he is held by Khalil Williams in the end zone.
(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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