Sea Kings are ringing victory bell

Richard Dunn

In the annual Battle of the Bell for the Back Bay boys soccer

teams, a screw came loose and the bell fell off the perpetual trophy

when Corona del Mar High’s Danny Whitaker scooped it up from the

Newport Harbor sideline and sprinted away with it to celebrate with

his victorious teammates.

On the field where it mattered most, however, the Sea Kings had

all their nuts and bolts together as they defeated host Newport

Harbor, 3-1, to conclude the nonleague portion of the season for both

schools.

It was Whitaker, after all, who for good measure kicked home the

final goal for CdM (7-4-2) to cap a two-goal second half and break a

1-1 halftime tie.

“That ended the game,” CdM Coach Pat Callaghan said of Whitaker’s

goal in the 75th minute on a perfect cross from Chris Ringstrom, who

never made Whitaker lose his stride -- even at the end when the

latter hustled over to pick up the Bell trophy the instant he heard

the final whistle.

“It was our best effort of the year,” added Callaghan, whose team

took the lead on junior Jerritt Thayer’s rebound header in the 65th

minute, finishing a free kick by junior forward Julien Cerutti from

35 yards out.

Cerutti, who scored Corona del Mar’s first goal in the 18th minute

to give the visitors a 1-0 edge, booted a rocket on the free kick,

but Newport Harbor goalie Mark Spears (four saves) knocked it away

before Thayer converted with his head.

“We crashed the goal on that play,” said Callaghan, whose squad

opens Pacific Coast League play next Wednesday at Laguna Beach. “It

was an incredible goal by Julien on that first goal (from 25 yards

out on a pass in the middle from Thayer). It was a great strike.”

Newport Harbor (2-4-2), which had captured the last two battles

and proudly displayed the Bell trophy on its side throughout the

early evening contest, tied the game, 1-1, in the 23rd minute on

junior Joel Walker’s goal, after junior Will Guzman set him up

beautifully with a tap on an indirect kick. Walker fired a rocket

from 22 yards out past CdM goalie Jay Zimmerman, who had no chance to

stop it.

“Instead of shorter passes, we were going for the kill,” Newport

Harbor Coach Martyn Hansford said. “We’re trying to cut corners and

you just can’t do that.”

Corona del Mar also missed twice late in the first half on shot

attempts by Cerutti and Thayer. The Sea Kings outshot Newport Harbor,

4-1, in the first half.

“I thought we dominated the first half,” Callaghan said. “(The

Sailors) came out strong, but we held off that first wave of

intensity. We didn’t give any space and we played solid.”

Senior Blake Dillion controlled the back for the Sea Kings and

“did a great job of organizing the defense for us,” Callaghan said.

“I’m happy. It’s a great way to end the nonleague season. The whole

team played unbelievable.”

Seniors Brandon Zarian and Tristan Harris, junior Parker Ferguson

and sophomores Shane Collins and Grant Almquist also played

instrumental roles for the winners.

In a Golden West League boys game Wednesday:

Estancia High’s Eagles dropped a 2-1 decision to visiting

Saddleback, falling to 3-5-1, 0-2-1 in league.

Luis Mendoza had Estancia’s score.

In a nonleague boys clash Wednesday:

Laguna Beach High scored three goals in each half to claim a 6-0

nonleague win at Sage Hill, dropping the Lightning to 4-2-1. Junior

Ethan Tanney had 17 saves for the Lightning.