CdM players (from left) John Humphreys, Sean Owens, Luke Fisher and Tristen Troutman walk to the field for a coin toss in a game this year.
Corona del Mar’s football team is back in a familiar spot Saturday night, aiming for the school’s sixth CIF football title.
Coach Dan O’Shea and his players are enjoying every minute of the team’s title run, which culminates Saturday night at 7 when the top-seeded Sea Kings (11-1-1) face third seeded Grace Brethren (11-2) in the CIF Division 4 finals at Royal High in Simi Valley.
To see the slide show, please click on the first photo
TIM BURT PHOTO
O’Shea and co-head coach Kevin Hettig, the offensive coordinator, said they are proud that the program comes from a “community school, with kids from the local neighborhood and we embrace who we are.”
“We really enjoy the Corona del Mar community because we think it’s something special about what our kids believe in and who they are as a football program,” O’Shea said.
SEA KINGS HAVE MANY UNDERCLASSMEN
The players are very good, and most of them are underclassmen, signaling a bright future for CdM.
“Certainly on offense, we’re young,” O’Shea said. “We just have one senior on offense. It took a little while. The front started the year trying to get going but I think the little puppy dogs have grown up and we certainly have the ability with our quarterback and wide receiver corps to be able to throw the ball down the field. It is something we’ve leaned on and it’s been very good for us.
“And I think our defense is defined by every CdM defense since I’ve been here. I don’t know if we have necessarily any Division 1 scholarship guys, but we are the best 11 at playing together. And that’s how we play defense and hopefully we do it one more time.”
Leading the way on offense is junior quarterback Ethan Garbers and junior wide receiver John Humphreys.
“They’re very gifted athletically and talent wise, but the best thing about them is they’re phenomenal kids and phenomenal leaders,” O’Shea said. “And it’s a testament to them and their work ethic; they’re all about the team and doing it the right way and that makes CdM really, really good.”
Garbers has completed 259 of 384 passes for 3,853 yards and 54 touchdowns this year. Humphreys has hauled in 98 catches for 1,728 yards and 28 touchdowns while junior Bradley Schlom has 64 catches for 1,068 yards and 10 touchdowns. Junior Mark Redman has 48 catches for 528 yards and eight touchdowns for the Sea Kings.
HARD WORK PAYS OFF, HUMPHREYS SAYS
“Super excited, all of our hard work has paid off,” said Humphreys, who holds the county career touchdown receptions record of 46. “We just have to go out there and do what we do and do what our coaches have prepared us to do. It’s rewarding and we’re excited to be back. It’s another chance to compete for the seniors, so that’s a big deal to us.”
The team’s success is attributed to the chemistry of the players, many who have known each other for years.
“The team really gels well together,” Humphreys said. “It’s a huge brotherhood and everyone wants to do good for the guy next to them. I know our defense doesn’t get noticed as much but they’ve played awesome this whole year and we can’t win games without them and our O-Line has really stepped up big this year and I think that’s a huge part to our success this year.”
While Humphreys and Garbers get much of the attention, Garbers said it’s been a team effort that has carried CdM to the finals.
“A lot of credit to the O-line and the defense and they’ve played lights off and credit to my receivers too and the running back,” Garbers said. “Everyone on the team has helped us get to where we’ve been.”
Garbers said the players know what they have to do to be successful.
“Connections, defense playing well, offense playing well and no mental mistakes, no penalties, just playing a perfect game.”
Garbers said the players are excited about Saturday’s big game and hoping there will be a big turnout Saturday in Simi Valley.
“We’re all excited, we’re trying to get as many students as we can to the game,” Garbers said. “We know it’s a long drive, but we’re all excited and hyped up. We’re just ready for Saturday night.”
Garbers said he’s pleased with his season, but wants to cap it with another victory.
“Numbers are good, but winning is the most important thing and none of it really matters unless you get that ring or CIF or state title,” he said.
The defense doesn’t get a lot of recognition, but it’s been solid too for CdM, which shared the Sunset League title with Los Alamitos in its first year in the league.
Among the top players are senior Tristen Troutman, the nose guard.
“He’s phenomenal, he may be our single most valuable player on the defense,” O’Shea said.
Ethan Jajonie, a senior defensive lineman, is another standout. linebacker Ari Froehlich, senior Jack Elliott and junior corner back Chandler Fincher are among the other defensive standouts, O’Shea said.
LUKE FISHER LEADS THE DEFENSE
Defensively, linebacker Luke Fisher leads the way. Fisher brings “senior leadership and toughness and embodies what (the CdM program is),” O’Shea said. He’s also great working with younger players.
“He takes the ownership of making the next guy ready for next year,” O’Shea said. “The guy defines grit.”
Fisher’s father, Jeff Fisher, was also a linebacker who played for Irvine.
Fisher said the Sea Kings defense has been up to the challenge.
“Sometimes at the beginning of the games, we start scary but we always find our groove and we always have the offense behind us putting up big points so we don’t have that much pressure on us,” Fisher said. “We always eventually come together and play our ball.”
Now, the team is in the finals and going for a CIF title.
“It’s huge, it’s all come down to this point; it’s either win or go home and all of this hard work during the off-season and in season, it all comes down to this point and I think we’re going to make the most of it,” Fisher said.
Fisher said he and his teammates know what to expect against Grace Brethren, which is on an eight game winning streak and knocked off the No. 2 seed Villa Park 34-31 last week. Grace Brethren is aiming for its fourth CIF title. CdM advanced to the finals with a 49-17 victory over Camarillo.
“They’re good, they’re going to hit us in the mouth” he said. “We’re going to have to hit them back twice as hard. It’s going to be a great game.”
HUMPHREYS AND GARBERS MAKE FOR AN UNSTOPPABLE DUO
HERE’S THE SCHEDULE FOR ALL THE CIF FOOTBALL FINALS
-Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
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