SOUTHERN SECTION FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS: DIVISION VI : Corona del Mar Shuts Down Troy : Sea Kings Use Turnovers as Springboard for 44-0 Victory

Corona del Mar High School recovered 2 fumbles and intercepted a pass to set up first-half scores on the way to a 44-0 rout of Troy in a first-round Southern Section Division VI playoff game Friday before 2,400 at Newport Harbor High School.

The win advances the Sea Kings (9-0-2) to the Friday’s quarterfinals, where they will play Anaheim, a 16-6 winner over Artesia.

Corona del Mar’s hard-hitting defense was one of the main reasons the Sea Kings won their second consecutive Sea View League title, and things were no different against Troy.

The Sea Kings held Troy to 50 yards in the first half, 124 for the game.

Troy’s offense was not only missing in action, it turned the ball over 4 times and had only 3 first downs in the game. Quarterback Brad Zeppieri completed 4 of 15 passes for 29 yards. Running back Mark Stichter (13 carries, 56 yards) accounted for most of the Warriors’ yardage.

“We got some turnovers, and defense has been doing it for us all year,” Corona del Mar Coach Dave Holland said. He praised quarterback Ty Price’s passing (9 of 16 for 160 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interception).

Price got the Sea Kings their first score on the third play of the game, hooking up with Jeff Clark for a 69-yard touchdown pass play.

With less than 5 minutes to play in the first quarter, sophomore fullback Chad Brasington fumbled on his 34 and Corona del Mar’s John Katovsich recovered, setting up a 22-yard field goal by Pat Callaghan.

In the second quarter, Troy intercepted Price, but the Warriors fumbled 2 plays later, giving Corona del Mar possession on the Troy 38. That set up a 9-yard touchdown toss from Price to wide receiver Warren Johnson. Five plays later, Johnson intercepted a Zeppieri pass and returned it 54 yards for the touchdown. Troy blocked the point-after attempt, ending the half at 23-0.

Nothing went right for Troy. At the start of the second half, Zeppieri’s lateral bounced off Mike Smith and Corona del Mar’s Warren Johnson recovered at Troy’s 28. The Troy defense held. Corona del Mar set up for a 20-yard field goal attempt, but the snap was high, forcing holder-quarterback Price to improvise. He did nicely, running it in the end zone.

Another Troy fumble set up a 20-yard touchdown pass from Price to Greg Haack.

Corona del Mar’s final score came on a 14-play, 40-yard drive engineered by reserve quarterback Todd Kehrli, who played all of the fourth quarter.

Troy ended the season at 6-4-1.