Walz Leads Corona del Mar to Victory Over Estancia

J.R. Walz had 20 carries for 149 yards and two touchdowns to lead Corona del Mar to a 33-7 nonleague victory over Estancia Friday night at Newport Harbor High.

As both teams’ passing games sputtered, Sea King quarterback Matt Evans, who completed eight of 36 passes, went to his ball carriers, who rushed for a total of 243 yards.

Walz scored his first touchdown on a two-yard run with 7 minutes 18 seconds remaining in the first quarter, giving Corona del Mar (3-0) a 7-0 lead after Tanner Rupp’s extra-point kick. Walz’s second touchdown came on a three-yard dash with 10:25 left in the fourth quarter.

Estancia (1-2) had trouble containing Corona del Mar, which raced to a 13-0 lead in the second quarter until Matt Johner, who was five of 27 for 59 yards and was intercepted twice, scored from one yard out with 41 seconds left in the half. Fred Pinto’s extra point brought the Eagles to within 13-7. The Eagles also amassed 97 1/2 yards in penalties.

“I thought we started a little slow and kind of self-destructed with penalties and turnovers,” said Coach Dave Holland, whose Sea Kings were assessed 25 yards of penalties in the first half. “But we came back and re-grouped.”

Indeed, the Sea Kings wasted no time in the second half as Tom Hess, who had 59 yards in 11 carries and two touchdowns, ran for a 65-yard touchdown 11 seconds into the third quarter. Rupp’s kick gave the Sea Kings a 20-7 lead.