Football: Battle of the Bay Belongs to Sea Kings

Played before more than 7,000 at Orange Coast College, Corona del Mar finally got the monkey off its back with a huge second half performance. The Sea Kings ended their six-season losing streak to Newport Harbor in the Battle of the Bay.  It was Corona del Mar’s 14th victory in the rivalry’s 52-game run, only its third in 20 years.

Score: Corona del Mar 34, Newport Harbor 14

Key Stats: Cole Martin rushed 33 times for 194 yards and two fourth quarter touchdowns, of 11 and 6 yards.

Pivotal Moment: After having pulled even at 14-14 late in the third quarter, the Sea Kings’ defense gave the offense great field position. Hoyt Crance intercepted a pass that gave Corona del Mar the ball at the Newport 32-yard line. A few plays later, Luke Napolitano passed to Bo St. Geme from 8 yards to give the Sea Kings a 21-14 lead with five seconds left in the third quarter.

Quotable: “I’ve never felt better before in my life,” Cole Martin told the Orange County Register. "This is better than a CIF title right now.”

Quotable II: "We finally got over the hump," CdM coach Scott Meyer told the Daily Pilot. “We just kept playing and kind of wore them down in the second half."

Records: Corona del Mar (4-0), Newport Harbor (1-2)

Notes: Corona del Mar stretched its winning streak to 14 games and snapped a six-year losing streak to Newport Harbor. … Napolitano had two 8-yard TD passes in the third quarter to St. Geme. … Napolitano also ran for a touchdown, of 1 yard, in the second quarter to tie the score at 7-7. … Martin dominated the fourth quarter as CdM ground down the Sailors and the clock. ... Newport could muster little offense in the second half against the swarming CdM defense, but did lead at halftime, 14-7; Cole Norris passed 5 yards to Cory Stowell in the opening drive, and Chance Siemonsma scored from 3 yards with 2:44 left in the first half. …  Norris completed 14 of 22 passes for 191 yards, with one interception. Siemonsma rushed 15 times for 80 yards. … CdM lost the 2011 game, 29-26, and last year’s game, 27-26, but went on to win Southern Section Southern Division IX championships under new coach Scott Meyer.