Spring Football Preview: It's All on the Line for Corona del Mar

Corona del Mar

2010 record: 10-2-1, 4-0-1. First place in Pacific Coast League

Postseason: The Sea Kings reached the CIF-SS Southern Division semifinals before falling to Beckman.

Coach: Scott Meyer (First year at school).

Key Players Lost: linebacker Preston Risser, receiver/running back Clay Reinhardt, defensive back Austin Jones, linebacker David Dietrich, quarterback Mitch Gardner, lineman Max Priestly, linebacker Alex Herrera, kicker Andrew Boehm, lineman Stephen Ascher.

Key Returning Players: senior Cole Cottrell (All CIF), senior Eric Fisher, senior Matt English, senior Aaron White, senior Frasier Anderson, senior Josh Giger, senior Liam Duddy, senior Brent Lawson, senior Kyle Sherburne, senior Grant Garrett, senior David Moore, junior Nick Storm, junior Tim Reinhardt, senior Caden Stark.

Scholarship Offers:  No offers yet, several of the above players are receiving attention from several colleges across the country.

Number of Returning Starters: offense 5; defense 4

Type of Offense: Pro

Type of Defense:  Multiple

Notes: Meyer takes over the program after coaching at Long Beach Jordan for the past several seasons. Meyers guided the Panthers to the playoffs in two of the past three seasons, going 16-16 overall. He inherits a team that was one win away from reaching the CIF-SS Southern Division championship and is likely to find itself in another competitive Pacific Coast League race this season.

So far in the spring, Meyer said he is seeing the linebackers and skill position players as the strengths of the team. But the loss of some key linemen, including Ascher (6-2, 225) and Priestley (6-2, 245), leaves the Sea Kings with a youth movement on the line. That inexperience is likely to be the biggest question mark for the Sea Kings going into the season.

If the Sea Kings can develop their linemen quickly, they are likely to be a serious threat. They return several key players in the secondary as well, led by Cottrell, who was second on the team in interceptions with three.

Beckman would have to be looked upon as a team to beat in the league race after their run to the CIF-SS finals last year. However, the Sea Kings definitely have the horses to win the race again, as long as they don’t suffer any major setbacks.

“If we stay healthy and continue to come together as a team, we will be very competitive,” Meyer said.

Corona del Mar's 2011 Varsity Football Schedule

Friday, Sept. 2 vs. Savanna at Glover Stadium, 7 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 9 at Huntington Beach, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 15 vs. Western at Newport Harbor High, 7 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 23 vs Newport Harbor at Orange Coast College, 7 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 30 vs. Magnolia at Newport Harbor High, 7 p.m.                             

Thursday, Oct. 13 vs. Northwood at Irvine High, 7 p.m.*

Friday, Oct. 21 vs. Irvine at Newport Harbor High, 7 p.m.*

Thursday, Oct. 27 vs. Woodbridge at Irvine High, 7 p.m. *

Thursday, Nov. 3 vs. University at Irvine High, 7 p.m. *

Friday, Nov. 11 vs. Beckman at Newport Harbor High, 7 p.m. *

* Indicates Pacific Coast League game