High School Football: CdM freshmen sink Sailors

The rivalry weekend was off to an early start Thursday with the Battle of the Bay initiation edition on the gridiron at Newport Harbor High.

The Corona del Mar freshmen team earned first-year bragging rights with a convincing 33-7 win over the Sailors.

“I thought we played very well,” CdM frosh coach Jerry Jelnick said. “Our running game looked good. Our special teams really did a nice job of pinning them back and then our defense did an excellent job.”

The Sea Kings took control with the opening possession and never looked back. An eight-play drive blending effective running with timely pass completions culminated in a two-yard touchdown run by quarterback Ethan Garbers producing a quick 7-0 lead for the visitors.

Running back Chandler Fincher carried five times for 34 yards on the opening drive and Garbers connected on two pass attempts, both to John Humphreys, each converting a first down.

After forcing punts on the Sailors’ first two possessions, CdM extended the lead in the second quarter with a two-play burst that was all Luke Sullivan. After ripping off a 15-yard gain on his first carry, Sullivan broke loose on a 44-yard run that put the Sea Kings on top 14-0.

Mixing in several skill position players off the sideline, the CdM second-unit offense was also effective. Behind Sullivan and quarterback Simon Hall, the Sea Kings cruised in on their next possession to make it 21-0 before the half.

Hall connected on all four of his pass attempts for 52 yards, hitting Humphreys for a six-yard score to finish the eight-play drive.

“They’re a very athletic group and very well-coached,” Newport Harbor head coach Robert Shaw said of his opponent.

The Sailors struggled to sustain a ground game out of their pro-style offense against a tough CdM defensive front. Harbor was held to four first downs in the first half and none in the third quarter.

“Defensively I thought they did pretty well, we just need to keep improving,” Shaw said. “Offensively, we’ve got a lot of work to do.”

The Sea Kings piled on with touchdowns on their next two possessions; a 10-yard run by Fincher late in the third and a 20-yard scramble by Hall early in the fourth to make it 33-0.

The home team put together its best offensive effort of the day with a 10-play, 65-yard fourth-quarter drive to avoid a shutout.

Harbor running backs Chad Koste and Jake Keliikoa carried the load with big gains on the ground before quarterback Clay Liolios hit Robbie Spooner with a one-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-goal to produce the 33-7 final. Liolios kept the drive alive earlier with a fourth-down completion to Richard Lemmon.

For CdM, Garbers completed eight of 11 passes for 111 yards and rushed for 48 yards and a touchdown. Hall finished six for six passing, good for 40 yards, while rushing for 44 yards and a score. Sullivan led the Sea Kings with 77 yards on five carries and Fincher added 43 yards on eight carries, each scoring a touchdown.

Liolios completed five of seven passes for 41 yards and a score and was sacked three times.

Keliikoa led the Sailors in rushing with 44 yards on 10 carries with Koste picking up 41 yards on 16 attempts.

“There was good hitting on both sides. All around I think we did very well,” Jelnick said. “We put it all together.”

“I’m very proud of the guys, I call them my gentlemen, they did a good job,” Shaw said. “The sting they have right now, what I told them was, you don’t want to feel it again.”

Freshman Battle of the Bay

Corona del Mar 33, Newport Harbor 7

SCORE BY QUARTERS

CdM7 – 14 – 6 – 6 — 33

Newport0 – 0 – 0 – 7 — 7

FIRST QUARTER

CdM – Garbers 2 run (Caldwell kick), 7:20.

SECOND QUARTER

CdM – Sullivan 44 run (Caldwell kick), 9:45.

CdM – Humphreys 22 pass from Hall (Caldwell kick), 3:26.

THIRD QUARTER

CdM – Fincher 10 run (kick failed), 6:52

FOURTH QUARTER

CdM – Hall 20 run (kick failed), 11:36

Newport – Spooner 4 pass from Liolios (Lemmon kick), 5:35

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

CdM – Sullivan, 5-77, TD.

NH – Keliikoa, 10-44.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

CdM – Garbers, 8-11-0, 111.

NH – Liolios, 5-7-1, 41, TD.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

CdM – Humphreys, 5-84, TD.

NH – Lemmon, 2-26, TD.