Sea Kings battling disappointment

Barry Faulkner

With an atmosphere that included an overflow crowd estimated at

6,000, television cameras, scores of alumni and the opportunity to

gain bragging rights over former youth teammates and coastal

neighbors, there is simply no other game all season like the Battle

of the Bay.

So, for Corona del Mar High Coach Dick Freeman, whose Sea Kings

were defeated, 17-0, by host Newport Harbor Friday night, the

challenge is now convincing his players it was no more important than

any other nonleague game and, actually, less important than a Pacific

Coast League or CIF Southern Section Division IX playoff contest.

“We have to look at it as a learning deal,” said Freeman, after

Newport won its fourth straight perpetual bell trophy and has now won

eight of the last nine and 29 of 41 meetings against CdM.

“We were in the ballgame the whole way and we had our

opportunities. We go in every year thinking we have a shot at them.

We didn’t embarrass ourselves against them. They did a good job in

the second half (scoring all 17 points), but we did a good job in the

first half (outgaining the Sailors, 95-77, in total offense).

“The nice thing about football is, you have an opportunity to come

back. After one play stops, you get another one and after each game

ends, you get another one the next week. It’s how you handle these

things that determines how successful you’re going to be, not only in

football, but in life. We need to step up and learn from it and get

better.”

The Sea Kings, most would agree, played better than the Sailors

the first two quarters Friday.

But, after halftime, Newport’s offense kick-started its running

game and the Tars’ defense shut the Sea Kings down.

While crediting Newport Harbor, Freeman said there was much to

lament about his team’s performance, including nine offensive

penalties that helped lead to his team’s seven punts.

“It was a different thing every time,” Freeman said of the

infractions, which included six for illegal procedure, one for delay

of game, one illegal motion and one illegal substitution.

“Some of them were not having enough guys on the line, some were

jumping and some, we still can’t figure out what they called us on,”

Freeman said. “But when you keep ending up in first-and-15

situations, you get your whole offense out of whack.”

Freeman, who praised Newport’s early season defensive improvement

before the game, was even more impressed after the Sailors produced

their first shutout of the season, the seventh blanking of CdM in the

rivalry’s 41 games.

“It’s just the discipline they have,” Freeman said when asked

about the secret of the Sailors’ defensive success. “It’s hard to get

them out of position and their linemen use up our offensive linemen,

so it’s hard to get anyone on their middle linebacker (Fernando

Castorena), who was really filling well all night.”

Freeman saw some positives from his squad, foremost being the play

of senior safety K.C. Rawlins. The 5-foot-9, 175-pounder, who was in

on 19 tackles in last year’s 47-7 loss to Harbor, was in on 16

Friday, including eight solo stops. He also had one pass deflection,

despite playing with a groin pull that eventually sent him to the

sideline.

“He was injured most of the game and it eventually got too sore

for him to play,” Freeman said. “But K.C. has been getting to the

football like that every week. If he were 20 pounds heavier, he would

be an all-everything linebacker.”

Freeman said film review indicated the Sea Kings were inches away

from breaking several long runs.

“If we follow a block and have a little more faith in our

offensive line ...,” he said.

Freeman also said his defense played well, other than Newport’s

late six-play, 61-yard touchdown drive that capped the scoring with

2:08 left.

“We had some guys going both ways, who were a little tired and,

after not scoring on our next-to-last drive (a punt from their own

27-yard line), we may have been a little deflated. Take away those 61

yards on that last drive, and a couple of long passes, and our

defense did a very good job against their offense.”

Freeman said Rawlins’ status for Friday’s nonleague home game

against Cypress is yet to be determined. He also said senior

linebacker-fullback Matt Cooper sprained an ankle against Newport,

but should be OK for this week.