PREP FOOTBALL : Sea View League : Roadrunners, Sea Kings Struggle to Scoreless Tie

Corona del Mar and Saddleback high schools, playing relentless defense, canceled each other out completely Friday night in front of 2,500 for a scoreless Sea View League tie at Santa Ana Stadium.

With the tie, Corona del Mar (6-0-2, 1-0-2) remains undefeated. And Saddleback (2-5-1, 1-1-1) joins the tying tradition of the Sea View League. (Newport Harbor, which defeated Tustin, 17-10, Friday night, remains the only league team without a tie).

Corona del Mar lost a chance for a victory with 34 seconds remaining. Greg Haack, on his fourth consecutive carry, fumbled on the 1-yard line and Saddleback recovered to hold on for a tie.

If you like punting, this was your game. Especially in the first half, when the average drive lasted just 5 plays.

The longest first-half drive belonged to Saddleback, which managed a drive of 7 plays. (Included in the drive was a sensational 22-yard run by Juan Acuna, who carried Saddleback to the Corona del Mar 19, but was called back because of a holding penalty).

In the second half, things got worse. Saddleback never crossed midfield and Corona del Mar was shut down on each of its five opportunities.

It wasn’t until the game’s final 2 minutes that a victory--for either team--looked possible.

The Sea Kings, boosted by a 43-yard pass play from Ty Price to John Katovsich, drove to the Saddleback 27. But the defenses, which played superbly all night, came through again. Price was sacked on a blitz and the ensuing 46-yard field goal attempt by Pat Callaghan was wide.

Saddleback took over on its 20, but quarterback Jeff Blanco, after being sacked by Jeff Blower, was taken out of the game. Junior backup Leonel Lopez came in as Blanco’s replacement, but after an incomplete pass, he fumbled a snap. Corona del Mar linebacker Jerrott Willard recovered on the Saddleback 13 and the Sea Kings were left with their last chance with less than a minute remaining. That chance ended with Haack’s fumble.

Sea King Coach Dave Holland was happy to survive without defeat.

Why didn’t he try for a field goal in the game’s last seconds?

“I’m going to be questioning myself for that,” he said. “And we had a time out to go, too.”