CdM burns Farmers

NEWPORT BEACH — The Farmers from Wheat Ridge, Colo. came to the beach Friday. They left with more than a farmer’s tan.

Corona del Mar High burned the Farmers during a 17-4 boys’ lacrosse rout taking place steps away from the sand.

When it ended, the Farmers wanted to stay at Peninsula Park, where the lively Sea Kings sat on concrete blocks instead of your usual benches on a field.

This isn’t your prototypical lacrosse field the Farmers played on.

From the palm trees surrounding the field, to the million-dollar homes on one side, to the Pacific Ocean on the other, to the Balboa Pier nearby, the Farmers never experienced paradise in pads, helmets, and sticks in their hands like this before.

“It’s incredible,” said Wheat Ridge Coach Chris Knott while the ocean breeze put a smile on his face despite getting blown away on the field. “If they let us come back next year, we’ll do the same damn thing [during our spring break] next year.

“This is like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It’s snowing [back home]. We’re supposed to get 12 inches of snow [Saturday].”

An avalanche at the beach hit the Farmers before they touched down in Denver.

The Sea Kings are on a roll, improving to 11-0. CdM’s current ranking in the state is No. 4 by LaxPower.com and it continues to improve.

Noah Molnar led all scorers with six goals. Knott remembered his No. 12 jersey, calling the Lehigh University-bound senior an “animal.”

The Farmers failed to control Molnar, as well as attacker Ryan Mix. The junior finished with five goals on five-for-six shooting.

The Sea Kings weren’t always so accurate. At times it felt that way.

Sixty shots are how many CdM fired. The Farmers attempted 16. Not a fighter’s chance.

One of CdM sophomore Max Satossky’s friends, David Friedman, visiting from Denver, knew this game wouldn’t turn out to be a beauty on a picturesque day.

From the start, before the Farmers enjoyed the bikini-clad women sunbathing, or watched the surfers, the Sea Kings hit them hard, jumping out to a 4-0 lead. Three players scored, your typical CdM scorers, Molnar twice, David Kidushim once.

But one ball came out of the goalie’s pocket into the back of the net.

When you’re a tourist, you expect tricks, some type of magic from a performer at the beach. The Farmers paid too much attention to one. CdM senior Andrew Noto fooled them.

Noto, the state’s best goalie if you listen to CdM Coach Mark Todd, went coast to coast and scored a goal, his first as a goalie.

Not his first in high school, though.

“My freshman year, I played attack,” said Noto, who’s headed to UC Santa Barbara because of his goalie skills and they helped him make eight saves Friday.

“It’s nice to play a team that’s a little more competitive than our [opponents in the Pacific Coast League]. We’ve been playing some weaker competition.”

The Farmers loved every minute of Friday’s beat down by the beach.

Heck, their farmer tans are gone.