Corona del Mar Survives Scare to Beat Woodbridge, 31-30

After winning the Pacific Coast League crown a season ago, the Corona del Mar Sea Kings are learning fast what it feels like to carry a championship-sized target on their backs.

Thursday night at Irvine High, Woodbridge, which celebrated homecoming with a puncher's chance at the upset, landed haymaker after haymaker in sprinting to a three-touchdown lead midway through the third quarter.

In the end though, Corona del Mar's poise, patience, and ability to light up the scoreboard with a flurry of electrifying plays picked the Sea Kings up off the mat and knocked out the Warriors, 31-30, when Donald Jackson's 30-yard field goal attempt with no time left sailed wide right.

The Sea Kings (7-1 overall, 3-0 in league), who were penalized 81 yards on 10 flags, tempted fate all night, especially in the closing minutes, as Jackson was afforded two opportunities at kicking Woodbridge to the win. After Jackson's 35-yard field goal was blocked with three seconds left to play, Corona del Mar was called for a roughing-the-kicker penalty, setting up the final play with zeroes on the game clock.

"We may not have played our best game, but we showed the heart of a champion," Corona del Mar coach Scott Meyer said. "I keep telling them that if they play hard for 48 minutes, good things will happen. So far they have."

Down 17-3 at halftime thanks in large part to Woodbridge tailback Derek Calderon (21 carries, 231 yards), who ran in the Warriors' first score from 95 yards away, senior quarterback Brent Lawson pulled the Sea Kings to within seven when he broke loose on a keeper up the middle for a 22 yards.

Calderon answered a play later with his second touchdown, a 29-yard race around the left edge, following a 53-yard kick return by Nick Greenberg and a late hit penalty. Then, after Kyle Kelley blocked his second Corona del Mar punt of the night, he hauled in a 14-yard touchdown pass from Matt Callahan, to give the Warriors a 30-10 lead with five minutes left in the third quarter.

For 2 1/2 quarters, the Sea Kings couldn't get out of their own way, but after Lawson hit fullback Matt English over the middle for a 17-yard connection and English leaped to his feat, exhorting the Sea Kings' lifeless sideline to show some fire, Corona del Mar was a different football team.

Three Lawson completions later, the Sea Kings were back in it at 30-17, after Josh Giger hauled in a 19-yard touchdown pass in the right corner of the end zone.

"We play 48 minutes of football," Giger said. "We have a lot of heart."

After a Woodbridge three-and-out, Cole Cottrell danced 52 yards through traffic for a punt return score that made it 30-24 with 1:42 left in the third quarter.

The Warriors threatened to extend their lead after pulling off their second successful fake punt two minutes into the fourth quarter, but Calderon, who took the punt snap 50-yards around the right side, fumbled while going down, coughing up Woodbridge's first turnover of the night.

It would be the only opening Lawson would need.

Three plays later, the Sea Kings' quarterback lofted a gorgeous, 30-yard spiral which struck Giger between the numbers at midfield and led the wideout on a 79-yard sprint to paydirt, which, following Grant Garrett's fourth successful point-after kick, gave Corona del Mar its first lead at 31-30.

"There was just one safety up top and I knew that I could probably outrun the backer in front of me, so, I don't know, I just ran my route and the quarterback threw a good ball," Giger said. "[Lawson] always keeps spirits up on our sideline, he's got a good vibe going, and he keeps us going. He's a really good leader out there."

Lawson finished the night with 225 yards through the air on 10-of-17 passing without an interception, and added 35 yards on the ground in nine carries.

Corona del Mar turned in 181 yards on the ground, 146 of which belonged to Erik Fisher, who grinded his way to an impressive rushing total on 25 hard-nosed carries, including a string of three pivotal first-down runs to help milk the clock in the fourth.

Giger, meanwhile, led all receivers with six catches for 141 yards.

Corona del Mar, which won its fourth straight Thursday night, will suit up again next Thursday, Nov. 3, again at Irvine High, for a league meeting with University.

Woodbridge (3-5, 0-3) travels to Northwood next Friday.

GAME STATISTICS
                                    1     2     3     4   --   T

Corona del Mar          0     3    21    7       31

Woodbridge                7    10   13    0       30


                                 CdM         W

First Downs               18           12
Rushing Yards          181          260
Passing Yards           237         121
Total Net Yards         418         381
Turnovers                   2             1
Penalties-Yards       10-81       8-48


SCORING

1st Quarter

WB -- Derek Calderon 95 run; Donald Jackson kick, 1:31

2nd Quarter

CdM -- Grant Garrett 22 field goal, 9:48
W -- Austin Defreitas 12 run; Jackson kick, 3:18
W -- Jackson 24 field goal, :32

3rd Quarter

CdM -- Brent Lawson 22 run; Garrett kick, 9:25
W -- Calderon 29 run; Jackson kick, 8:58
W -- Kyle Kelley 14 pass from Matt Callahan; kick failed, 5:08
CdM -- Josh Giger 19 pass from Lawson; Garrett kick, 3:41
CdM -- Cole Cottrell 52 punt return; Garrett kick, 1:42

4th Quarter

CdM -- Giger 79 pass from Lawson; Garrett kick, 7:11