DIVISION VI FINAL : Lucas, Kehrli Lead Corona del Mar, 21-10

Todd Kehrli, Corona del Mar High School quarterback, accomplished quite a bit in the first half of the Sea Kings’ Southern Section Division VI championship game against La Quinta Friday night at Orange Coast College.

He completed 10 of 14 passes for 159 yards, and threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to receiver Weston Johnson. The trouble was that was all the scoring Corona del Mar could produce and the Sea Kings led by just four points at halftime.

Kehrli, a sophomore, accomplished much more just by handing the ball to running back Brian Lucas on Corona del Mar’s first play of the second half. Lucas ran 94 yards for a touchdown that lifted the Sea Kings’ spirits and sent them on to a 21-10 victory before 7,500.

It was the second consecutive Division VI championship for Corona del Mar (11-3). Last season, the Sea Kings defeated Valencia, 17-7.

La Quinta, which finished the season 9-5, was playing in its first championship game since it lost to Saddleback, 34-28, in the 1985 Central Conference title game.

“You know, at the start of the season I thought (winning another title) was a possibility,” Corona del Mar Coach Dave Holland said.

Corona del Mar’s defense limited La Quinta to just one touchdown--a 10-yard pass from quarterback Richard Weaver to Trent Julian--and a field goal.

The Sea Kings had two interceptions, including one by Mark Perlmutter that snuffed a fourth quarter drive by La Quinta when the Aztecs trailed, 21-10.

The Aztecs had the ball on the Corona del Mar eight-yard line, and Weaver, trying to run away from pressure, threw the ball right to Perlmutter.

“I was surprised he threw it,” Perlmutter said.

La Quinta Coach Roger Takahashi said the interception was the turning point.

“We still had a chance,” Takahashi said. “We needed two scores to win. We needed a touchdown and the two-point conversion and then a field goal.”

After Perlmutter’s interception, La Quinta never got close to scoring again.

“The offense really moved the ball in the second half,” Holland said.

The biggest play was the long touchdown run by Lucas, who finished with 164 yards in 20 carries.

“There were a lot of big plays, but that swung the momentum our way,” Holland said.

Kehrli, who completed 11 of 17 for 159 yards and ran two yards for a third-quarter touchdown that gave Corona del Mar a 21-3 lead, had a good view of the play.

“I just looked up and hoped he wouldn’t get caught,” he said.