PREP EXTRA: SATURDAY FOOTBALL PULLOUT : Corona del Mar Bounces Back Against Eagles

MISSION VIEJO —  The question before the game was: After last week’s heart-breaking loss to Newport Harbor, could Corona del Mar bounce back and stay in the Sea View League playoff race against Santa Margarita?

The Sea Kings answered that in a hurry, scoring on two of their first three drives, then letting the defense do the rest in a 21-12 victory before a crowd of 1,000 at Saddleback College.

Corona del Mar (4-4 overall, 2-1 in league) led, 21-0, after three quarters on touchdown runs of one, one and 12 yards by Brian Hogan. The senior running back carried 31 times for 187 yards, the longest a 58-yarder that set up his second score. But he had to be helped off the field with under two minutes remaining with a severely sprained ankle.

Sea Kings Coach Mark Schuster said he wouldn’t know how serious Hogan’s injury was until today.

Corona del Mar crossed up Santa Margarita by coming out and throwing the ball. Josh Walz threw for 25 of his 28 yards in the first two series. But they quickly reverted to the patent running game behind Hogan and J.J. Di Cesare.

“We felt we had to establish in our minds and theirs that we could (throw the ball),” Schuster said. “We feel we’re capable of throwing the ball, but we’re going to run the ball.”

The Eagles (4-4, 1-2) could get nothing going offensively in the first half with 23 net yards. (Corona del Mar had 128.) They didn’t score until 8:22 was left in the game on a two-yard run by Billy Newman, who three minutes later, scored from the one after the Eagles recovered a fumble on the Sea King 34.

But two missed extra point attempts and a missed field goal from 35 yards left the Eagles nine points short as the Sea Kings ran out the clock.

Corona del Mar outgained the Eagles in total yardage, 249-158. Chris Collins threw for 111 yards.