CdM’s John Humphreys marches into the end zone for a score. (Photos: Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone)
The Corona del Mar combination of quarterback Ethan Garbers to wide receiver John Humphreys proved to be too much to handle for Yorba Linda as the duo teamed up for three touchdowns and the Sea Kings cruised to a 49-12 victory in a CIF Division 4 quarterfinal playoff game at Newport High Friday night.
To see the slide show, please click on the first photo
Top-seeded CdM advances to the semifinals and will face Camarillo on the road with the winner going to the CIF finals.
Garbers had another explosive game as he tossed five TD passes and completed 27 of 35 passes for 367 yards. He has thrown 10 TD passes in the last two games and has 48 TD passes for the season. Humphreys caught 12 passes for 138 and three TDs. The pair was virtually unstoppable.
“It’s ridiculous, it shouldn’t be legal,” said Sea Kings coach Dan OShea following the game. “These guys are special athletes. We’ll blessed with five skilled athletes who make it very difficult on defenses.”
On its first possession of the game, CdM marched 71 yards in nine plays to take a 7-0 lead. Garbers tossed a 14-yard TD strike to Humphreys to cap the drive.
Garbers and Humphreys hooked up 10 times for 116 yards and three TDs in the first half.
“Our Oline and DLine were outstanding and playing ‘lights out’,” said Humphreys. “It feels good to be going to the semifinals and we feel we can make a run.”
Early in the second quarter Yorba Linda (9-3) got a two-yard TD run by James Festini but the Mustangs missed he PAT and trailed 7-6.
The Sea Kings (10-1-1) upped their lead to 14-6 on a 9-yard touchdown from Garbers to Humphreys. But the Mustangs countered with a score on their ensuing possession.
Ricky Lane muscled the ball away from two CdM defenders to haul in a 58-yard TD pass from Gio Micallef. However, a mishandled snap on the PAT hurt the Mustangs again and they trailed 14-12.
With the half winding down, Garbers threw four straight completions, culminating the scoring drive with a 4-yard TD pass to Humphreys as the Sea Kings took a 21-12 lead at the break.
“The offensive line was outstanding and the receivers ran great routes and our timing was on,” said Garbers. “Our whole team is clicking right now and I’m stoked.”
Garbers completed 16 passes for 225 yards and three TDs (all to Humphreys) in the first half.
Micallef completed 10 passes for 150 yards and a TD in the first half for the Mustangs.
CdM notched three more touchdowns in the third quarter to put the game away.
Garbers guided the Sea Kings on an 80-yard scoring march on CdM’s opening drive of the second half and he capped it off with a 1-yard TD run. Later in the quarter, he tossed short TD passes to Bradley Schlom and Mark Redman as the Mustangs couldn’t slow the Sea Kings attack.
“In the third quarter we came out and played a lot harder and were able to pull away, said sophomore runningback Jason Vicencio, who rushed for 91 yards and a scored a TD. “This is exciting for me as a sophomore. I just think we had great energy.”
The Sea Kings defense shutout the Mustangs in the second half.
“I think the difference was we were able to stop their run game,” said Sea Kings linebacker Carter Duss. “I’m glad to be able to give the seniors another game.”
Friday’s game was a bit of a payback for OShea. He and Yorba Linda coach Jeff Bailey are friends who squared off as coaches in the 2007 CIF finals that saw Bailey’s El Dorado team defeat OShea’s Trabuco Hills squad 13-12.
“I thought about that loss every day since,” said OShea, who also lost CIF finals games in 2009 and 2016. “I use those losses as motivation, but this win is special for the players.”
“They did a great job,” said Bailey. “They were more physical and I wish them luck moving ahead. We play a physical game and we have to have ball control and shorten the field and we weren’t able to do that.”
Festini led Yorba Linda with 75 yards rushing and a touchdown.
STATS
YL 00 12 00 00 – 12
CDM 07 14 21 07 – 49
RUSHING: YL, Festini 18-75, Haddad 13-26; CdM, Vicencio 17-91.
PASSING: YL, Micallef 10-13-0, 150 yards, TD; CdM, Garbers 27-35-0, 367 yards, 5 TDs.
RECEIVING: YL, Lane 5-95, Festini 3-37; CdM, Humphries 12-138, Schlom 6-103.
-Tom Connolly, For OC Sports Zone
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