Football: Sea Kings smash Cypress, 42-17

Tony Altobelli

NEWPORT BEACH - Despite a lack of troops, the Corona del Mar High

football team still brought plenty of firepower to Friday night’s season

opener against Cypress.

The Sea Kings accumulated 483 yards of net offense while the defense

kept the Centurions off the scoreboard in the second half en route to a

42-17 nonleague win at Newport Harbor High.

“That was one of the bigger efforts we’ve ever had here at CdM,” Sea

King Coach Dick Freeman said. “Looking at the team during the meetings,

they seemed very focused and businesslike, so there wasn’t a whole lot I

needed to say to them. They want to win and they’ll do whatever it takes

to win.”

The Sea Kings’ 1-2 running combination of juniors Mark Cianciulli and

Keith Long led CdM’s attack. Cianciulli ran for 145 yards and two

touchdowns on 18 carries, while Long added 60 yards and two TDs on 10

carries.

“Last year, we were looking for a 1-2 punch with Mark and Blake

Hacker, but Mark got hurt, so Blake carried a majority of the time,”

Freeman said. “This combination isn’t too bad either.”

CdM, ranked No. 4 in CIF Southern Section Division IX, outscored

Cypress, 35-0, in the second half, thanks to a strong defensive output

and an elimination of costly turnovers, which led to 10 of Cypress’ 17

first-half points.

“I told the kids at halftime that we were involved with almost all the

scoring in the first half,” Freeman joked. “We just kept at it and did

what we had to do. We kept our poise and even though we fell behind, we

didn’t quit.”

Cypress standout Jelani Gamba had the first big play of the game early

in the first quarter with an interception and a 34-yard return, giving

the Centurions the ball on CdM’s 6-yard line. Two plays later, Ryan

Nealeigh plowed in from a yard out and Cypress led, 7-0.

CdM answered with a touchdown of its own, marching 73 yards on eight

plays. The drive was capped off with a 5-yard run tp paydirt by Long.

Cypress, ranked No. 4 in CIF Division VI, scored again with a 15-play,

80-yard drive which took up eight minutes of the second quarter, giving

the Centurions a 14-7 lead.

After another costly interception by Gamba, Cypress was knocking on

CdM’s door once again. But the defense tightened up and the Centurions

settled for a 27-yard field goal by Mike Lourenco just before halftime.

The second half started with a costly mistake by Cypress as junior

K.C. Rawlins intercepted a pass and advanced the ball 36 yards, setting

up CdM’s next scoring drive.

Five plays later, quarterback Dylan Hendy plowed in from a yard out,

cutting the deficit to 17-14. The key play during the drive was a

30-yard, one-handed reception by Tyler McClellan.

CdM still trailed, 17-14, with just more than six minutes remaining in

the game when all of a sudden, the flood gates opened.

First, Long capped off a eight-play, 44-yard drive with a 2-yard

touchdown run, giving CdM the lead for good. Strong blocking by the

offensive live opened the hole for Long’s TD journey.

“Steve Russell and John Daley did an excellent job on the left side of

the O-line,” Freeman said. “But that was because the right side of John

Hayes, Stephan Shipman and center Matt Elliston all did a great job as

well. After we lost Adam Dunn (gone for the year due to injuries

sustained in an automobile accident), the line has really pulled

together.”

After a 44-yard interception return by junior Matt Cooper, Cianciulli

scored on a 5-yard scamper, extending CdM’s lead to 28-17.

After Cypress went three and out, Cianciulli bobbed and weaved through

the Centurions’ defense and scored on a 42-yard touchdown run, giving CdM

21 points in two minutes.

Not to be outdone, senior defensive back Steven Ward intercepted a

Cypress pass on CdM’s 5-yard line and dashed down the sideline 95 yards

for another CdM score.

“It’s definitely nice to have some momentum early in the season,”

Freeman said. “We played very well on both sides of the ball and I

couldn’t be happier.”

Corona del Mar will return to Newport Harbor Friday night at 7 against

Troy.