Corona del Mar’s Strong Defense Leads Victory

NEWPORT BEACH — Corona del Mar used a number of clutch defensive plays to shut down high-powered Orange Lutheran, 14-10, in a nonleague football game Friday night at Newport Harbor.

The Sea Kings held Orange Lutheran’s passing game to 132 yards, stopped the Lancers twice at the goal line and caused a fumble that led to the deciding score in the fourth quarter.

Corona del Mar got the ball late in the fourth quarter when defensive back Nick Hood jarred the ball loose from quarterback Nick Odenath and Marshall Rothwell recovered at Sea King 48-yard line. Nine plays later, Dennis Alshuler caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Mike McClellan with 1:48 left for the game-winning score.

Orange Lutheran had a chance to put the game away midway through the fourth quarter, but running back Pat Sims was stopped twice inside the one-yard line.

Orange Lutheran (4-1) scored the only points in the first half on a 24-yard field goal by Josh Nelson with 2:53 left in the second quarter.

In the third quarter, Corona del Mar (3-2) took the lead, 7-3, after Dennis Alshuler recovered a Orange Lutheran fumble at the Lancer 23. And seven plays later, running back Tom O’Meara scored on a one-yard run.

Orange Lutheran regained the lead, 10-7, when running back Justin Smith took a lateral from Odenath and completed an 80-yard touchdown pass play to Mike Crawford on its next possession.