Sea Kings shoot for two in a row

Patrick Laverty

The guessing game that had become Coach Dick Freeman’s weekly lineup

because of all the injuries to his Corona del Mar High football team

is about over, but the Sea Kings are still working players back into

the rotation.

That process will continue Friday night when the Sea Kings (4-2,

1-0 in the Pacific Coast League) play host to Calvary Chapel (1-3-2,

0-1) in a league game at Newport Harbor High at 7.

Junior wide receiver and cornerback Kevin Welch, who did not play

in last week’s victory over Laguna Beach with the exception of

serving as the holder on conversion kicks because of a groin injury,

will play, but will not start. The same status is reserved for senior

lineman Andy Lujan, who has missed the last two weeks because of a

high ankle sprain.

Their return to the lineup will be a gradual one, much like it was

for sophomore defensive tackle John Fairbanks, junior offensive

lineman Andrew Keligian and senior offensive lineman Sean Ellis last

week.

The most important thing for Corona del Mar is having a full,

healthy lineup for its final three games of the regular season --

away contests against Northwood, Tesoro and University -- while not

overlooking the Eagles.

Calvary Chapel, coached by former Sea Kings assistant coach Lyle

Lansdell, played a nonleague schedule against predominantly small

schools, but didn’t look overmatched last week in its league opener

against Tesoro.

“I thought Calvary Chapel did a good job against Tesoro,” Freeman

said. “[The Eagles] just kind of wore down in the end.”

Having a roster half the size of its league competitors will do

that to a team. Tesoro, which won, 26-6, limited the Eagles to 33

yards rushing, while piling up 254 yards rushing and 193 yards

passing itself.

That should signal plenty of running room for CdM’s trio of

running backs.

Sophomore Brett Crowley had his first career 100-yard rushing game

last week and has more yards in each of the last two games than he

had in the first four contests combined. With 291 yards on 57

carries, he is right behind Sea Kings’ rushing leaders Austin Brawner

(67 carries for 319 yards) and Wess Presson (57 carries for 291

yards).

Any concentration on Corona del Mar’s running game will open

things up for junior quarterback Tom Welch. Coming off a strained

left shoulder two weeks ago, Welch had his best game of the season

against Laguna Beach, completing 7 of 9 passes for 208 yards and a

touchdown. Like last week, he will likely concentrate solely on

offense this week in an attempt to improve upon his season numbers,

which include 35 of 68 passing for 632 yards with one interception

and six touchdowns.

Though Freeman thought Calvary Chapel did a good job defensively

against Tesoro, he noted the Eagles had trouble with crossing routes,

which Sea Kings receivers Shane Collins and Matt Busch, and Kevin

Welch when he comes off the bench, should be able to take advantage

of.

The biggest test for the defense will be avoiding big plays. Two

weeks ago against La Habra, the Sea Kings allowed eight passes of 20

yards or more. Last week against Laguna Beach, the Breakers had a

touchdown on a Hail Mary pass as time expired in the first half in

which the receiver came down with the ball despite being surrounded

by triple coverage.

“We can’t afford [big plays],” Freeman said. “We’ve got to go up

and get that. You don’t get those very often, but when it comes, it

costs you. That’s just free points.”