Sea Kings try to maintain roll

CdM CIF football preview vs. Garden GroveCdM enters tonight’s CIF Division IX opener at Garden Grove on three-game win streak.Corona del Mar High football Coach Dick Freeman said he hopes last week’s 47-17 trouncing of University was more a prelude than a peak.

The Sea Kings will try to justify such a notion when they visit Garden Grove High in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division IX playoffs tonight at 7:30.

Corona del Mar (5-5), ranked No. 7 in the final Division IX poll and on a three-game winning streak, is seeking the program’s first playoff win since 1995. The Sea Kings have lost their last five first-round playoff games.

Garden Grove (8-2), which won six of its last seven to finish second in the Garden Grove League, has lost its last five first-round playoff contests. The Argonauts’ last playoff win came in 1992.

The Sea Kings are coming off their most impressive performance of the season in their most important game. They rolled up 501 yards of offense against University, moving into a tie for third with the Trojans and claiming the league’s No. 3 playoff spot by virtue of a tiebreaker.

CdM is as healthy as it has been all year, Freeman said, and the Sea Kings are anxious to show they are better than their record, which includes one forfeit loss to Calvary Chapel.

“We’re not a bad football team,” Freeman said. “Especially now that our offense is coming around.”

The Sea Kings, who averaged just fewer than 20 points in their first eight games, averaged 46 in their last two.

Freeman said improved blocking by the offensive line has been the key, though the return to health of running backs Matt Loyd and Dio Johnson has also been a factor.

Loyd began the season with 482 rushing yards in three games. Then, slowed by nagging knee pain, he produced just 204 rushing yards the next four contests. Back to full strength the last two games, he has averaged 13.2 yards on 31 combined carries. He now has 1,094 yards and 11 touchdowns on the season.

Johnson, who did not carry the ball the first seven games due to a knee injury, has averaged 110 yards per game the last three. He produced a career-high 173 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries against University.

The Sea Kings have relied on their ground game and defense for most of their success. The defense is led by senior inside linebacker Shaun Mohler, defensive end Matt Burgner and cornerback Steve Hillgren.

Mohler leads the team with 95 tackles, Burgner owns the school career sack record with 36, and Hillgren has 10 interceptions this fall.

Garden Grove has been paced offensively by junior quarterback Keith Hurley. Triggering the Argos’ wing T scheme, Hurley is the leading rusher with 620 yards and five touchdowns. He also has thrown for 699 yards and five touchdowns, completing 45 of 100 passes with three interceptions.

Tonight’s winner will face either No. 2-seeded La Habra (8-2) or Savanna (4-5-1) in the quarterfinals.

CORONA DEL MAR STARTERS