Bravehearts

Patrick Laverty

When Corona del Mar High’s football team turned out a very un-Sea

Kings-like 36 yards on 20 carries in its season-opening win over

Costa Mesa, there was little doubt where the emphasis was going to be

placed in the week leading up to the second game of the season.

“I was going to blame it on the coach, but I’m the offensive line

coach,” Corona del Mar Coach Dick Freeman said.

So instead of placing blame, the Sea Kings simply went to work

attempting to correct their mistakes.

But no one, not even Freeman, could have predicted the turnaround

against Troy. Corona del Mar rushed for 314 yards on 55 carries, an

average of 5.7 yards per carry, to defeat Troy, 22-7.

“Troy’s a pretty good football team,” Freeman said. “We did some

pretty good stuff. But it was certainly a surprise to rush for more

than 300 yards.”

While running backs Austin Brawner, 198 yards and two touchdowns,

and Wess Presson, 86 yards, received much of the postgame credit, it

was the offensive line that truly made the difference.

A solid performance by left tackle Andy Lujan (6-foot-3, 270

pounds), left guard Andrew Keligian (5-11, 217), center Brent Ogden

(5-10, 216), right guard Armand Lapuz (5-9, 217) and right tackle

Robby Richey (6-2, 263) opened holes that Brawner said after the

game, a bus could have driven through.

There was no doubt that Freeman used the Week 1 rushing

performance as motivation leading up to the Troy game.

“We have to do more,” Freeman told the linemen. “You have to take

that as whether it’s your fault or not, you have to take it as your

responsibility.”

The line, which isn’t exactly oversized, particularly in the

interior, did just that against a Troy team that has six players

listed at 280 pounds or more.

It was a strong showing for an offensive line that is still

short-handed because of injuries to Chris Reilly (6-2, 216) and Sean

Ellis (6-2, 254). The latter has been cleared to play after battling

a rotator cuff injury, but Freeman expects to play it cautiously.

Reilly, who has a knee injury, is still doubtful for this week’s game

against Newport Harbor.

Without much depth, Freeman said he did not substitute along the

offensive line against Troy, but for the five guys up front, it

didn’t matter.

Aiding the offensive line were tight end Tyler Lance (6-1, 207)

and fullback Zach Wishengrad (5-11, 215).

With larger holes to run through, Brawner and Presson ran wild and

now present the Sailors something else to think about preparing for

the 42nd edition of the Battle of the Bay.