Sea Kings shut out again

IRVINE — The Corona del Mar High football team played a game against players wearing pink shoelaces.

There was nothing soft about Irvine on Thursday night.

For the second straight week, CdM’s offense was nonexistent, losing 26-0 in a Pacific Coast League game on the road.

The Sea Kings used two quarterbacks, trying to find anyone to ignite an offense that has been shut out in back-to-back losses.

Nothing seemed to work for CdM (4-3, 0-2 in league), ranked No. 6 in the CIF Southern Section Southern Division poll. The quarterbacks turned the ball over four times.

With two league losses, the Sea Kings are sure missing running back J.D. Abbott. The senior missed his second straight game with an injured ankle.

Without having to face the Sea Kings’ leading rusher, the No. 7-ranked Vaqueros were primed to gain revenge from last year’s 14-13 loss to CdM.

Irvine (5-2, 2-0) intercepted two passes leading to 10 points in the first half as they built a 20-0 lead. The Vaqueros moved atop the league standings with defending league champ Laguna Hills off Thursday by controlling most of the game with running back DaVonte Young.

The freshman almost topped 100 yards in the first half. Young showed he’s not so green

The shoelaces Young wore for breast cancer awareness stood out. So did his performance, 138 yards and one touchdown on 24 carries.

Young outrushed CdM by himself. The Sea Kings’ inability to run or throw has Hitchens worried after suffering his first two consecutive losses at the school.

In his first season last year at CdM, Hitchens guided the Sea Kings to a runner-up finish in league, the semifinals of the playoffs and a 10-3 overall record. Those three feats look farfetched this season.

“It paints you in a corner,” Hitchens said of the recent setbacks in which the Sea Kings have been outscored, 53-0. “You’ve got to win three [league] games in a row just to have the opportunity, the privilege to play in the playoffs. We’re capable of doing it, but we’re certainly going to have to play more consistently.

“We’ve been erratic and very inconsistent most of the year.”

Hitchens shook things up on offense.

Starting at quarterback was Mitch Gardner. The junior replaced senior Michael Borchard, who started the first six games of the season.

The two played quarterback in the first half, switching after every possession. They struggled, finishing a combined five for 18 passing for 53 yards and three interceptions.

The mistakes hurt CdM. In the first quarter, miscues cost the Sea Kings a chance at 10 points.

The first was a bad snap, forcing the holder to pounce on the ball, rather than hold it for the kicker. Andrew Boehm never got a chance to kick a 40-yard field goal on the opening drive.

The Sea Kings kicked themselves on their second possession.

On a draw play out of shotgun formation, Borchard handed the ball to James Jarvis. The junior ran up the middle and toward the CdM sideline for what appeared to be a 70-yard touchdown and a chance to tie the game at the 4:20 mark in the first.

One problem, though, Boehm never got a chance to attempt the extra point and tie it at 7-7.

The Sea Kings were flagged for a false start, nullifying the touchdown run. On the next play, CdM turned the ball over.

Ryan Payne intercepted a pass near the 35-yard line, returning it to CdM’s one. A horse-collar tackle prevented Payne from getting into the end zone. The tackle drew a penalty.

With the ball moved half the distance to the goal line, Andrew Hills scored from a couple of inches out, putting Irvine ahead, 14-0.

“That’s a shift right there,” Hitchens said. “You go from seven [points] for us to 14 for them. Those things don’t help. Then the fumble, the short field there. The interception, another short field. You can’t continuously do that week in and week out, especially against better teams and expect to win a football game.”

The Sea Kings left Irvine not feeling too rosy.

Irvine 26, Corona del Mar 0

SCORE BY QUARTERS

CdM 0-0-0-0--0

Irvine 14-6-3-3--26

FIRST QUARTER

Irv – Hills 1 run (Callian kick), 5:24.

Irv – Young 7 run (Callian kick), 4:00.

SECOND QUARTER

Irv – Callian 35 FG, 11:55.

Irv – Callian 29 FG, 0:20.

THIRD QUARTER

Irv – Callian 35 FG, 1:10.

FOURTH QUARTER

Irv – Callian 46 FG, 5:52.

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

CdM – Condino, 16-38; Gardner, 9-28; Borchard, 3-23; Swigert, 3-18; Tam, 1-3; Jarvis, 1-0.

Irv – Young, 24-138, 1 TD; Torres, 3-63; Van, 2-8; Hills, 2-2, 1 TD; Merritt, 3-minus 6.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

CdM – Gardner, 5-12-1, 53; Borchard, 0-6-2, 0.

Irv – Merritt, 5-11-0, 92.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

CdM – Swigert, 3-36; Napolitano, 1-9; Jones, 1-8.

Irv – Van, 1-59; Del Carlo, 2-22; Young, 2-11.