CORONA DEL MAR Sea Kings

Barry Faulkner

Battling through widespread injuries and a general lack of

experience, the Corona del Mar High football team held its own while

posting a 5-4-1 record last season. The Sea Kings, in fact, played

their opponents virtually even in the most important statistical

categories, outscoring them, 247-242, and posting a minus-one

turnover ratio.

Yet the opposition outgained the CdM offense, 3,846 yards to

3,046. With 10 starters back on defense, however, CdM foes may find

much tougher going this fall, which should allow new offensive

coordinator Ed Blanton, conservative by nature according to CdM coach

and defensive coordinator Dick Freeman, to take fewer chances in

order to win the field-position advantage.

“With the defense we think we’ll have, we figure if we make every

offense play on a long field, they should have trouble scoring on

us,� Freeman said. “We gave teams the short field way too much last

season.�

Without a wealth of size, that defense will rely on quickness,

aggressiveness and experience to have success, though Freeman has

been pleased by the strength improvements his players made in the

weight room.

Offensive production may come down to how well assistant Miguel

Romo can piece together a line which opened fall drills with only one

proven stalwart in senior guard John Daley. It’s a process that,

Freeman said, could require some trial and error.

“We have more linemen than we had players last year,� Freeman

explained. “We’ll need to piece together that (offensive line)

puzzle, but I think we’ll battle. We’re trying to avoid playing

linemen two ways, because it takes a lot more effort for 230-pound

guys to push around 270-pound guys, than the other way around.�

Here’s a position-by-position look at the Sea Kings’ personnel

puzzle:

Quarterback: At 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, senior Jonathan Hubbard is

less than physically imposing, but intangibles may allow him to stand

much taller as the offensive trigger man, Freeman believes.

“He has that gift of making people follow him,� Freeman said.

“This season is his time to take this thing over and he has really

stepped up.�

Hubbard, who started all 10 games last season at cornerback,

completed 6 of 12 pass attempts for 91 yards and one touchdown, with

one interception, in spot duty under center last fall. He was the

quarterback for the 1999 freshman team, which compiled an 8-1-1 mark.

He is expected to concentrate on offense this season.

Freeman believes Hubbard’s athletic ability will be best utilized

out of the pocket.

“He has always been a pretty good athlete, he throws the ball

really well on the move and he has very good downfield vision,�

Freeman said. “If guys get open, he’ll find them and get them the

ball. He will also be a threat to scramble at any time.�

Wess Presson, who quarterbacked the freshman team last season, is

the primary backup, while fellow sophomore Tom Welch opens the season

as the No. 3 signal caller.

Freeman said Presson, who may also contribute in the secondary,

will see some action in the preleague season in order to stay sharp.

Running backs: Senior tailback Mark Cianciulli, who rushed for

1,290 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior, could be among the more

entertaining backs in Orange County. Blessed with quickness, 4.6

speed in the 40-yard dash and a knack for finding and exploiting

cracks in the defense, he averaged nearly 174 yards in five league

games last season, including a pair of 200-yard-plus performances. He

scored seven of the team’s final 10 TDs and has found paydirt 14

times in a varsity career that has produced 1,449 yards on 219

carries (better than 6.6 yards per attempt).

Keith Long, also a senior, alternated with Cianciulli for much of

last season and will be counted upon once again to provide punch.

Long rushed for 264 yards and four TDs on 55 carries last season.

Senior Matt Cooper, who has produced eight career touchdowns on

just 81 carries (for 344 yards) will also help the running game at

both fullback and tailback, according to Freeman. He is also expected

to be one of the leading defensive weapons at inside linebacker,

however, so he if he is to receive intermittent rest, it will come

when CdM has the ball.

“(Cooper) is running a consistent 4.6 (in the 40), so he could

surprise some people this year,� said Freeman, who plans to utilize

both Cianciulli and Cooper as passing targets out of the backfield.

Sophomore Josh Wishengrad (fullback) and Austin Brawner (tailback)

should add depth, as should senior Matt Warsaw.

Receivers: Seniors K.C. Rawlins and Jeff Reed, both of whom are

returning starters on defense, are projected to fill double duty as

wideouts this fall. Each caught three passes last season, though

Rawlins turned two of his receptions into touchdowns.

Rawlins, the faster of the two, is more of a deep threat, while

Reed’s aggressiveness going after the ball makes him a prototypical

possession receiver, Freeman said.

The Welch twins, sophomores Kevin and Tom, could also contribute

here, as might junior Andrew Fowler, sophomore Shane Collins and

senior Mordy Ornguze.

Freeman said the Sea Kings will occasionally use four-receiver

sets in an attempt to spread the defense.

Tight end: Senior Kris Cooper (6-2, 215) was one of several

players who filled this spot last year, starting two games. Praised

for his blocking, Cooper had just one reception for 13 yards as a

junior. He did, however, lead the team with three interceptions from

his outside linebacker spot, so he is accustomed to fielding aerial

offerings.

Tyler Lance (6-1, 195), one of several sophomores for whom Freeman

predicts a bright future, will see time here. “He really gets open

well,� Freeman said of Lance, who will be utilized in some

double-tight sets.

Junior Casey Hales has also shown well, according to Freeman, who

will count on him to provide depth.

Offensive line: Daley (6-1, 235) has twice earned second-team

All-Pacific Coast League honors and brings an additional 20 pounds to

the trenches this season. He missed some time last season with a

broken wrist and is still recovering from a broken leg that sidelined

him for all of spring practice and most of the summer. Freeman,

however, believes he’ll be ready to answer the bell when the Sea

Kings scrimmage Villa Park and Pacifica Friday.

“He’s still limping, and his leg still aches,� Freeman said. “But

he’s playing through it.� Daley could also start at defensive end and

will at least be included in a rotation on that side of the ball.

Junior Andy Lujan (6-2, 240) is the leading candidate to replace

former left tackle Steven Russell, who played in the Orange County

All-Star Game a month after graduating last June. Lujan is a quick

learner, according to Freeman, who said the Daley-Lujan combination

may make the left side a frequent run destination.

Senior Steven Savage (6-0, 240) is being counted upon to step in

at right tackle. With few players on the roster to match his size,

Freeman believes his development could be a key factor in the Sea

Kings’ bid for success.

Competition at right guard and center is ongoing, and junior John

Hayes (6-0, 205), who started seven games at guard last season, is

among the candidates.

Senior Jason Kidushim (5-10, 210) and junior Danny Tarkesian

(5-11, 211) are auditioning at center, while senior Joseph Carr (6-0,

205) and senior Jeff Wicken (5-7, 191) could also emerge at one of

the two open spots.

Sophomores Andrew Keligian (5-10, 195), Nick Gero (5-11, 208),

Chris Reilly (6-2, 195) and Robby Richey (6-2, 250) are among those

who add depth.

Defensive line: Senior Jayson Skalla (5-10, 230) returns at

noseguard, where he earned first-team all-league recognition a year

ago. Once pounded as a smallish sophomore, his commitment to the

weight room has enabled him to become CdM’s only member of the

1,100-pound club (combined squat, power clean and bench press).

Freeman said if he can combine improved technique with this strength,

he could be very difficult to block.

Wicken is the front-runner at the tackle spot, with Lujan, who

started seven games at end last season, pushing him every day.

Daley and sophomore John Shanahan -- small at 5-9, 160, but

pound-for-pound the team’s strongest player, according to Freeman --

are both expected to share action at strong-side end.

Carr started eight games at end last season, but is being pushed

on the weak side by junior Brian Dunn (6-0, 205) and senior Ryan Zick

(6-0, 190). Zick, could utilize his extreme quickness to become a

pass-rushing threat, Freeman said.

Savage (tackle), Tarkesian (end), Reilly (end) and senior Matt

Cubeiro (tackle) are additional backups.

Linebackers: The Cooper twins, Matt (inside) and Kris outside,

Kidushim (inside), Long and Reed (outside) combined to form a

talented, experienced group that enables Freeman to list the

linebacking corps as one of the team’s strengths.

Matt Cooper started all 10 games last season, while Kidushim

started the last five, ending a revolving door at the other inside

spot. Both are expected to be quality run-stoppers in the middle.

Kris Cooper started six games outside, while Reed (three starts

before breaking his collarbone) and Long (six starts) all made

valuable contributions.

Lance and Warsaw provide quality depth inside, while senior Brian

LePerle is a backup outside.

Secondary: Yet another area of strength, though Freeman would

prefer to replace returning starters Hubbard and Cianciulli with

Ornguze and Presson. It’s a shift he believes is very likely if

Presson and Ornguze continue to show their prowess, particularly in

run support.

Rawlins, who had two interceptions in 10 starts last year, returns

at free safety. After adding 15 pounds of muscle, he should have an

enhanced presence as a tackler.

Kevin and Tom Welch, at either safety or corner, are among those

who provide depth here, as does Brawner at corner.

Kicking game: Rawlins established himself as a consistent kicking

weapon, converting 30 of 33 PATs and booting four field goals with a

long of 37. He is also a candidate to punt, though Presson, Kevin

Welch, and Dunn are additional possibilities.

Hales will handle the long-snapping chores, with Cianciulli,

Presson and Brawner foremost on Freeman’s list of kick returners.

Sophomore David Del Fante is the backup place-kicker.