Corona del Mar Rebounds in Grand Fashion With Victory Against Huntington Beach (2021)

Newport Beach – Davidson Field

The Sea Kings made easy work of Huntington Beach High School, defeating the Oilers 35-8 on Friday night.

Corona del Mar, who suffered a tough loss to Orange County football juggernaut Los Alamitos on Sept. 30, bounced back in its second league matchup of the year.

After an uneventful first quarter, Sunset League All-Second Team running back Evan Sanders rushed for 18 yards down the right sideline for the first score of the game. The Junior RB finished the winning effort with 82 rushing yards on eight carries, and two total touchdowns.

After a blocked punt from Huntington defensive back Elijah Anderson, the CdM defensive team recovered a costly fumble from the hands of Oilers senior quarterback A.J. Perez on their own 24-yard line.

It only took five plays for CdM junior QB David Rasor to find senior wide receiver John Tipton for an unbelievable 55-yard TD. Rasor was leveled by oncoming pressure as he released the ball, but Tipton was able to corral the pass and dash past the free safety for the TD.

“I trusted the progression,” Rasor said. “I trust that Tipton will make those types of plays, and he did.”

At this point up 14-0, the highlight play would spark two successive scoring drives for CdM; a 22-yard passing TD to Sanders on a swing pass out of the backfield, and a 2-yard TD off of a fade to senior WR Max Lane— a recent Harvard baseball commit.

Leading 28-0 at halftime, Rasor accumulated 3 passing TDs, and Sanders had two total TDs in his own tally.

Huntington’s receivers struggled to get separation all night. It was the diagnosis for a lackluster 78 yards of offense at the half— with 55 yards coming from all-purpose back Hideo Ray’s reception on the second play of the game. If it wasn’t for CdM senior DB Jake Simkins’ shoestring tackle, that play might have very well been a TD for the Oilers.

The Sea Kings would do the last of their damage on the first drive of the second half, which was capped off by Rasor rolling out left to find junior WR Cooper Hoch for a 18-yard touchdown pass.

Rasor was substituted out of the game immediately after going up 35-0 on Huntington, but not before throwing 4 TDs on 255 yards. Sophomore QB Kaleb Annett came in relief for the Sea Kings for the rest of the game.

The Oilers’ offense simply could not gain momentum, as they lost three fumbles to CdM pass-rushers.

Three sacks from CdM senior linebacker Charlie Mannon also stalled a couple of Huntington’s drives throughout the game. Mannon now has five sacks in his last two games, both of which were league matchups.

With five and a half minutes left in the blowout, the Oilers erased their zero from the scoreboard. Perez found senior WR Tyler Moses for a 22-yard TD, and Huntington went on to convert 2-point attempt.

The Sea Kings let time run out on the subsequent drive, solidifying the score at 35-8.

CdM (6-1) earned their first league win of the season, and Huntington (4-3) now lies at 1-1 in Sunset League play.

The Oilers will travel again to Davidson Field next Friday to play Newport Harbor High School (2-5, 1-1).

Corona del Mar will face one of the toughest teams in the Sunset League next Friday, in the form of Edison High School (4-3, 1-1) at Sheue Field in  Huntington Beach.