Sea Kings
Season preview by Alex Crawford
season preview
Head Coach: Dan O’Shea
Dan O’Shea will be entering his eighth season as the Head Coach of the Sea Kings. This will be his twelfth year at Corona del Mar, arriving in 2011 to serve as the Defensive Coordinator, a position he held for four seasons.
He has also coached Football at Trabuco Hills High School in Mission Viejo. In 2019 the Sea Kings not only won a CIF Southern Section championship, but a CIF State championship as well, when they completed the perfect campaign, posting a season record of 16-0. Coach O’Shea and his team first philosophy have enabled the Sea Kings to meet with tremendous success during his tenure at the Eastbluff powerhouse.
Coaching Staff:
- Kevin Hettig Associate Head Coach & Offensive Coordinator
- Brian Pearsall Linebackers & Defensive Coordinator
- Jake Morado Strength & Conditioning Coordinator & Tight Ends
- Clay Kennedy Offensive Line
- Kayvan Aminzadeh Wide Receivers
- Mark Cunningham Cornerbacks
- Teddy Barber Defensive Line
- Ryan Ketcham Linebackers
- Sam Stafford Running Backs
- Josh Huber Offensive Line
- Dennis Wilbanks Defensive Line
- Matt Wagner Defensive Backs
- Jack O’Shea Scout Team Coordinator
- Bob Hettig Scout Team Coordinator
- John Griffin Director of Football Operations
Key Departures:
- Charlie Mannon (Linebacker & Tight End) UC Santa Barbara (Baseball) Scott Truninger (Tight End) Yale University
- Gavin Scott (Defensive Line & Offensive Line) Chapman University
Key Returners:
- David Rasor senior (Quarterback)
- Evan Sanders senior (Running Back)
- Cooper Hoch senior (Wide Receiver)
- Trent Merriman senior (Offensive Live & Tight End)
- Chase Horton senior (Offensive Line)
- Ryan Nielsen senior (Defensive Line)
- Mason Kubichek senior (Linebacker & Wide Receiver)
- Christian Brooks junior (Linebacker)
- Kaulin Post senior (Linebacker)
- Oliver Ayala senior (Defensive Back)
Key Additions & Impact Players:
- Grant Schriber senior (Cornerback)
- Brady Sarkisian senior (Linebacker)
- Russell Weir junior (Wide Receiver)
- Kaleb Annett junior (Quarterback)
- Colin Pene junior (Kicker/Punter/Running Back & Linebacker)
Can’t Miss Game:
Friday, October 21st, 2022 vs. Newport Harbor Longtime and familiar rivals meet again for the 2022 version of “The Battle of the Bay”, a game that is always circled on every Corona del Mar and Newport Harbor calendar every year. This community based rivalry is what makes Football so great. An epic Sunset League battle that could be extremely important in the league standings, as well as the CIF playoff seedings.Outlook:
The Sea Kings placed third last season in a tough Sunset League. They finished the season with a strong record of 9-3, including a victory in the first round of the CIF playoffs. Corona del Mar looks to get to the next level this season, and improve upon what was a good 2021 season. The Sea Kings have a high powered offense that will put a lot of points on the scoreboard, while putting pressure on opposing defenses. The Sea Kings also have a gifted and versatile defense that will cause problems for the different offenses they will face this season. With a significant number of all league players returning for their senior year, the Sea Kings will be a strong contender for both a Sunset League title, as well as another CIF championship.Offense:
The Sea Kings have long been known for having a high powered offense. This season will not be an exception as the Sea Kings have numerous offensive weapons with which they can strike quickly, and often. David Rasor, the talented and highly skilled Quarterback, who is the defending Sunset League Offensive Player of the Year is back for his third season as the play caller. With his experience on the field and knowledge of the Sea Kings offensive system, look for him to have another big season leading the offense. Of course their success on offense is due in large part to their balanced attack. A perfect balance between running and throwing. Getting the majority of the carries this season will be Evan Sanders, a star Running Back who is incredibly physical, and runs the ball with purpose. He garnered first team Sunset League honors last season, and going into this season is rated as the number two Running Back in Orange County by Cal High Sports. Senior Cooper Hoch, a highly skilled Wide Receiver, will be the primary target in the CDM passing attack. Linebacker Mason Kubichek, a multi-purpose athlete, can also be incorporated into the offense at Wide Receiver. The Sea Kings will also have junior Wide Receiver Russell Weir in the offensive. Weir is an impressive athlete who will complement an already talented Wide Receiver group. Kaleb Annett, a junior, is a very skilled backup Quarterback, who could also see some playing time at Wide Receiver. Trent Merriman, a senior Offensive Lineman is going to see some playing time at Tight End this season. His size, skill and athleticism will give Rasor another quality receiver to throw to, while providing extra blocking on the Offensive Line. The leader on the Offensive Line will be senior Chase Horton, an adroit, and intelligent blocker, whether it be pass or run blocking. Look for the Sea Kings to have a fast, and highly productive offense this season.Defense:
Corona del Mar has an extremely fast and athletic defensive unit this season. They will use multiple fronts and schemes. Additionally they will employ a defense that will enable players to run various blitz packages from a variety of different places on the field. Their ability to show different looks on defense will give them the ability to neutralize almost any offensive scheme they face. Linebacker Mason Kubichek will be an effective run stopper who can cover a significant amount of space. Kaulin Post, a senior who has great instincts at Linebacker will also be a key contributor on the Sea Kings defense, while skilled junior Christian Brooks will be very active this season making tackles. On the defensive line, the Sea Kings will be led by senior Ryan Nielsen who is an excellent pass rusher, as well as a highly potent run stopper.The secondary will be patrolled by senior Oliver Ayala who is highly skilled at both pass and run recognition, and is great in coverage as well. This is a highly organized, athletic and intelligent defensive unit that will be extremely active, as well as, effective.Special Teams:
The Special Teams unit will be led by junior Colin Pene, who will be in charge of both the kicking and punting duties for the Sea Kings. His ability to split the uprights from various distances will give Corona del Mar extra scoring opportunities, and when it comes to punting, Pene can flip the field for the Sea Kings. Pene will be on the field a lot this season as he also will help the offense while playing Running Back, as well as lending his skills as Linebacker, while on the defensive side of the ball. With the talented group of skill position players on their team, the Sea Kings should also produce some touchdowns while on Special Teams.Additional Information about the Corona del Mar High School Football Program:
Home Stadium: Newport Harbor High School Broadcast: None as of now, please check with the school for updates. Athletic Director: Brian Walsh Principal: Jacob Haley School Enrollment: 2,100
August 19th - 07:20 am@ Davidson Field, Newport Harbor High School
September 2nd - 07:23 am@ Palos Verdes Football Stadium, Palos Verdes
September 9th - 07:23 am@ Davidson Field, Newport Harbor High School
September 15th - 07:24 am@ Davidson Field, Newport Harbor High School
September 29th - 07:24 am@ Cap Sheue Field
October 6th - 07:17 am@ Davidson Field, Newport Harbor High School
October 14th - 07:26 am@ Cap Sheue Field
October 21st - 07:26 am@ Davidson Field, Newport Harbor High School
October 28th - 07:27 am@ Davidson Field, Newport Harbor High School
