Corona del Mar ready to rise up

Sept. 30, 2004 12 AM PT

Rick Devereux

Following a heart-breaking, 21-17, loss to Newport Harbor High in the

Battle of the Bay, the Corona del Mar football team must shake off

any lingering emotional damage and prepare to play a tough Valencia

squad Saturday.

“This is a nonleague game and we’re using this as a tune up for

league,” Coach Dick Freeman said. “These are all good teams we’re

playing. We’re not playing the Sisters of the Poor. We could schedule

an eight-man football team and be 5-0 heading into league.”

Valencia (3-0) is No. 4 in CIF Southern Section Division VI while

CdM is No. 5 in Division IX. The Tigers are led by running back Rylon

Thomas who has amassed close to 500 rushing yards in three games with

10 touchdowns. He also threw for a score in Valencia’s, 28-7, victory

over El Dorado.

So what is Corona del Mar’s plan on stopping Thomas?

“We’re thinking flat tires on his bus,” Freeman joked. “We can’t

change what we do. We run an eight-man front, so if we can’t stop the

run, we’ve got some problems.”

Freeman said we has also concerned about the Valencia passing

game.

“They run a straight I-formation offense and have three pretty

good receivers,” he said. “It’s not a lot of possession passing. They

wait until you suck up against run and then hit you deep.”

So what’s Corona del Mar’s plan on stopping the pass?

“Try to get our cornerbacks taller because those wide outs are

6-foot-3 a piece,” Freeman joked.

He said the best way to contain such a potent offense to win the

battle of time of possession.

“We need to be able to move the football,” Freeman said. “We can’t

rely on getting three-and-outs [on defense].”

The Sea Kings will need an effective running game to control the

clock. CdM has proven it has a more than effective running game.

Tailback Wess Presson has rushed for 588 yards and seven touchdowns

while quarterback Tom Welch has 241 rushing yards and four TDs.

The Tigers won’t try to confuse the Corona offensive line with

stunts and blitzes.

“They play an Oakie defense,” Freeman said. “They line up in a

five-two. If you can’t out hit them, it is very hard to run against

them. Either you move them or you don’t.”

One weapon the Sea Kings may be without is wide receiver/safety

Kevin Welch. Welch was ejected in the third quarter of the Newport

Harbor game and CIF rules stipulate any coach or player ejected from

a game must sit out the following contest as well. Freeman said he

plans to appeal the decision.