Playful Sea Kings enjoy win

Steve Virgen

With less than a week left before its Pacific Coast League showdown

with Northwood High, Corona del Mar’s boys soccer team went out and

had some fun Friday against visiting Calvary Chapel.

The Sea Kings laughed and poked fun at each other, as five players

did the same type of celebration after their goals in Corona del

Mar’s 6-0 victory over the Eagles.

The win moved the Sea Kings into first place with 20 points, one

ahead of Northwood (6-2-1 in league), which lost, 1-0, to University

Friday. The PCL awards three points for a win, one for a tie.

Playing against the PCL’s last-place team allowed the Sea Kings

(11-3-6, 6-1-2 in league) to have a light mood and also rest a few of

their starters.

Senior Julien Cerutti, who signed a letter of intent to play for

UC Davis Thursday night, did not play. He suffered a mild concussion

in Corona’s 2-0 loss at Tesoro Jan. 29. He played in the Sea Kings’

1-0 win over University Wednesday, but Sea King Coach Pat Callaghan

said Cerutti did not feel well Thursday and the coach decided to rest

him.

Corona del Mar will face the Timberwolves Wednesday at 3 p.m. at

Northwood. Only a loss to Northwood can deny the Sea Kings at least a

share of the PCL title they shared last year with Northwood. Tesoro

(4-1-3 coming into Friday), needed a pair of wins to gain a share of

the crown. If CdM and Tesoro wind up tied for first, CdM would go as

the league’s No. 2 playoff representative, since it lost to and tied

Tesoro this season.

“That is our big game,” Sea King Coach Pat Callaghan said. “We

have to win Wednesday. I think our best soccer is ahead of us. We’re

in position to play our best soccer, so we couldn’t have asked for a

better situation.”

The Sea Kings also played without Cory Azzalino, a senior who

broke his nose when they defeated Northwood, 1-0, Jan. 23. He is

expected to play Wednesday, as is senior Danny Whitaker, who served

the second of a two-game suspension, one game for a red card against

Tesoro and the other for his actions in the loss to the Titans.

Whitaker said he learned from the ordeal and felt bad for his

mistake. His teammates painted the No. 7, Whitaker’s jersey number,

on their bellies and dedicated the win over Calvary to him.

In the second half, the Sea Kings scored five goals, and when a

player scored he would lift his shirt over his head so everyone could

see the number.

“That was good stuff,” Whitaker said.

“It was fun,” said senior Jeritt Thayer. “That was just team

bonding.”

The Sea Kings scored their final goal with less than two minutes

remaining and continued to celebrate. Calvary Chapel Coach Jess

Hetherington said that was disrespectful but added he understood the

Sea Kings were playing for Whitaker.

“They were having fun,” Hetherington said. “But there’s an element

of respect you need to give.”

Hetherington, whose team is 0-16, 0-7 in league, said Corona del

Mar was very dominant, but he was pleased the Eagles held the Sea

Kings scoreless through the first 39 minutes.

Junior Ajay Sahni broke the drought in the final minute of the

first half when his shot hit off the near post and went into the net.

The assist came from senior Nick Palchikoff, who took a cross from

Thayer.

The Sea Kings added two goals in the first 11 minutes of the second half, as senior Chris Ringstrom finished on a breakaway and

senior Dominic Rubino connected on a direct free kick from about 25

yards out.

Senior Dan Marin-Finn scored his first goal of the season on an

assist from senior Taylor Munz in the 68th minute. Howard Lee,

another of the 14 seniors on the team, made it 5-0 with an arching

shot from about 35 yards out, and Munz closed out the scoring with a

goal on a breakaway.

“This was a fun game for us,” Ringstrom said. “It was kind of a

little treat for us before we get Northwood.”