Corona del Mar knocked out by Orange Lutheran in CIF-SS quarterfinal

The Trinity League once again upheld its reputation as the host of the toughest competition in the high school football world, for any of those who might have doubted.

Corona del Mar was outmatched by the Orange Lutheran Lancers in the CIF-Southern Section division 2 quarterfinals, losing to the Lancers 38-14 at Davidson Field on Friday.

Sea Kings junior quarterback David Rasor got his team up early, connecting with senior wide receiver Max Lane for a 45-yard touchdown score on the first drive of the game.

Unfortunately for CdM, their 7-0 lead would be their last lead of the game before the Lancers responded six minutes later in the first quarter.

A 2-yard rushing TD from OLu senior running back Desmin Jackson tied the game up, and a 25-yard TD reception from senior WR Hayden Faraday made the last score change of the night go in favor of the Lancers — with 1:26 remaining in the first quarter.

The Sea Kings had opportunities to close the gap, but untimely drops and penalties took a toll on the offense. CdM was forced to punt on both of their second quarter drives, including a 15-play sequence where the team got as far as the OLu 23-yard line.

Approaching the half, the Lancers conducted a speedy drive to set up a 36-yard field goal for junior kicker Kelley Dieter. The ball traveled through the uprights, and Olu took a comfortable 17-7 lead at halftime.

Lancers’ head coach Rod Sherman did not waste time getting his team back in the driver’s seat, as a pass-heavy first drive from half lead to another passing touchdown from senior QB Logan Gonzalez. This time, it found the hands of senior WR Pierce Brown to extend the OLu lead to 24-7.

Down big in the second half, the Sea Kings made noticeable adjustments after coming back from the locker room, including an effective hurry-up offense. After a staggering 19-play drive, Rasor finally found his Harvard-bound wideout Lane for their second TD connection of the night.

Lane finished his high school career with a statline of six receptions for 85 yards and two touchdowns.

Whatever hope CdM gained in the third quarter was quickly crushed by back-to-back Olu scores in the final frame of the contest. Gonzalez connected with junior WR Kaleb Marshall and senior tight end Jace Rodiguez in the fourth to push the Lancers to a 38-14 win over CdM.

For the first time since 2018, the Sea Kings remembered what it felt like to lose.

“OLu was a great team,” Rasor said. “We battled hard, but we weren’t perfect.”

According to CIF’s playoff bracket, OLu is set to play Sierra Canyon in the CIF-SS Div. 2 semifinal Friday Nov. 19.

----------Quick (unofficial) Stats--------

Passing
Rasor (CdM)  20 /33  172 yards  2-TD  1-Int
Lane (CdM) 1/1  2 yards

Receiving
Tipton (CdM) 5 catches 36 yards
Lane (CdM) 6 catches 85 yards 2-TD
Hoch (CdM) 3 catches 25 yards

Rushing
Sanders (CdM)  4 carries  21 yards
Rasor (CdM)  9 carries  21 yards
Mannon (CdM)   5 carries  35 yards