CdM still in league title race

The conclusion of the football season has arrived, but there are no sad faces around the Corona del Mar High campus as a result.

The Sea Kings don’t plan on playing their final high school football game of the year in a Pacific Coast League matchup with University (4-3-1, 0-1-1 in league) tonight at 7 at Irvine High.

A win guarantees Corona del Mar (6-3, 2-1 in league), which is ranked No. 2 in CIF Southern Section Southern Division, a playoff spot. With a little help, a victory could also bring a league title. A loss and the Sea Kings are likely still in, but the future becomes more hazy, clouded by a more difficult road early in the playoffs.

“It’s another game and we’re ready to play a couple more,” Corona del Mar Coach Dick Freeman said.

In a year full of adversity that has seen the loss of starting quarterback Taylor Hughes and receiver Hunt Rychel, both seniors, for two-game stretches, as well as a two-game losing streak early on, the Sea Kings showed resolve when dealing with their most difficult week.

Corona del Mar lost starting tailback and linebacker Erik Rask for the season, which was compounded by a crucial league loss to Laguna Hills. But the Sea Kings bounced back with authority, posting a 41-28 victory over then No. 8-ranked Irvine, to put Corona del Mar back in the hunt for a league title.

“It seems like every week we’re facing something,” Freeman said. “Losing Erik put a big hole in the defense.”

Looking back on the season, Freeman said the offensive line of seniors John Joyce, Arion Lapuz and Steven Dean, as well as juniors James McKinnon and Max Prescott, has been a shining point. The offensive line has been the one area on the team to avoid serious injuries this year, as well.

“The offensive line has done really well,” Freeman said. “The passing game has been excellent. The effort is superb.”

It is that effort, which Freeman, who is in his 11th year as Corona del Mar coach, said separates this Sea Kings team from his previous ones.

“Effort-wise this is one of the best groups,” he said. “We’ve been more talented. We’ve had bigger offensive lines. We’ve had faster players. But in terms of effort and adjustments they have made, this team has done great.”

To complement a passing game that exploded for 329 yards and three touchdowns on 25 of 33 passing from Hughes, senior Tom Folks will start at tailback. The 5-foot-7, 155-pound Folks also excels at linebacker and ran for a season-high 93 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries, including a 51-yard touchdown run, against Irvine.

“He attacks people just the same way he does on defense,” Freeman said.

The Southern Division is without a dominant undefeated team, but Freeman pointed to Valencia and Kennedy, which made it to the Division VI semifinals and finals last year, respectively, as viable threats in the playoffs to Corona del Mar, which was in Division IV last year.

“Valencia and Kennedy moving down, kind of put a damper on the division,” Freeman said.

The playoff picture will begin to clear up for the Sea Kings tonight as they face a University team which tied league leading Laguna Hills last week and averages nearly 250 yards rushing a game from a bevy of backs.

“University always plays us tough,” Freeman said. “Then tying Laguna Hills was a good thing and it was a bad thing.”

A Corona del Mar victory and a Laguna Hills loss to Irvine, ranked No. 10, would give the Sea Kings the Pacific Coast League title.