CdM remains perfect

FULLERTON — The Corona del Mar High football team’s offense couldn’t keep the Sea Kings’ defense off the field Friday night against host Troy. But that was the good news in the visitors’ 49-20 nonleague victory at Fullerton High.

The Sea Kings (3-0), ranked No. 5 in the CIF Southern Section Southern Division, scored four times on one-play drives after turnovers by the Warriors (0-2).

CdM senior Dillon Norton also scored on a 92-yard kickoff return and a 57-yard punt return within a span of 1 minute, 53 seconds after halftime to add to a touchdown pass he caught with 10 seconds left in the first half.

Norton’s triple explosion, which produced 21 points in about that many seconds off the clock, created a 35-6 bulge with 9:53 left in the third period.

CdM recovered five Troy fumbles, four of which led to touchdowns, and also dominated on special teams. In addition to the aforementioned returns, Noah Molnar blocked a punt to set up the Sea Kings’ first touchdown and Alex Swigert fell on a loose ball stemming from a mishandled Warriors punt snap to give CdM yet another short field with which to make quick work.

The CdM offense did not go totally unnoticed, as senior quarterback Mitch Sands completed four of eight passes for 70 yards and three touchdowns.

Swigert, who posted scoring runs of five and 11 yards, produced 75 rushing yards on 15 carries to help the offense perform slightly more than a cameo.

Norton finished with 256 all-purpose yards, 205 of which came on three kickoff returns and two punt returns. He also had 28 yards on two receptions and carried twice for 23 yards to help CdM thump its toughest opponent to date.

Combined with a 55-3 romp over Costa Mesa and a 37-0 dispatching of Laguna Beach, the 141 points scored this season are not only the most in the school’s 47-season history in the first three games, but the most during any three-game period in program annals.

Senior linebacker Dutch Lamons recovered two fumbles, senior noseguard Dan DiChiro and sophomore end Jimmy Roney also fell on Troy fumbles, while senior end Will Ham recovered a blocked punt and a muffed punt reception to help capitalize on an atypically sloppy performance by the Warriors.

“[Troy] definitely helped our cause a little bit this evening,” CdM first-year coach Jason Hitchens said. “The big thing for us was coming out and getting a couple big special teams plays early in the second half. They really turned the momentum. I think Norton broke out some moves that I didn’t even know he had.”

Norton, who for one night at least shared more than the No. 5 in common with former USC great and 2005 Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush, said he was anxious to help his team sustain a strong effort for more than two quarters.

“I just wanted to take advantage of all their mistakes and I really wanted to score for my team,” Norton said. “Our first two games, we got a quick lead and we didn’t keep it up in the second half. I wanted to make sure that we came out in the second half and made a statement.”

Sands cashed in the blocked punt by hitting Tyler Haly with a six-yard dart to cap a five-play, 31-yard scoring drive to open the scoring.

Sands hit Norton on a seam rout for a 20-yard TD after Lamons recovered a Troy fumble with 15 seconds left in the first half.

After DiChiro swallowed up a fumble at the Troy 36-yard line, Sands lofted a strike to Molnar, who was wide open on a sideline streak to make it 42-6 with 7:43 left in the third quarter.

CdM faces Back Bay rival Newport Harbor Friday in the annual Battle of the Bay.

Troy junior running back DeAngelo Bonner scored on a 47-yard swing pass later in the third quarter, and broke loose for a 35-yard scoring run with 1:21 left in the game to cut into the deficit.

Troy put up 280 yards of offense on 59 plays to outgain the Sea Kings, who had 230 yards of total offense.

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at [email protected].