Evans Finds Redemption in Corona del Mar Victory

Corona del Mar quarterback Matt Evans had been waiting a year for this game. Never mind the Sea View League standings or even rivalry with Newport Harbor.

This was personal.

Evans took out a year’s worth of frustrations, throwing two touchdown passes in the Sea Kings’ 17-0 victory Friday at Newport Harbor High School.

“I had to prove something to them,” Evans said.

A year ago, Evans was a wide-eyed junior, with absolutely no experience on the varsity level. He was thrust into the lineup when Todd Kehrli was injured.

The result was predictable. Evans ran for his life and the Sailors ran away with a 27-0 victory.

This time Evans stood his ground.

He completed 14 of 23 passes for 183 yards. He threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Chris Quinn and a 17-yard touchdown pass to Tom Hess, as the Sea Kings (4-1, 1-1) built a 14-0 halftime lead.

“Last year, they just killed me,” Evans said. “I had to show them I was more then just a fill-in. I earned this job.”

But he was not allowed to do it through the first few games.

Evans threw only eight passes in the season opener and had only 38 attempts through three games.

Then things loosened up last week against Santa Margarita. The Sea Kings trailed by four touchdowns at halftime and had to put the ball in the air. Evans threw for 208 yards and one touchdown.

“I think we showed we could move the ball through the air last week,” Evans said. “I was hoping to get more chances.”

The opportunity was there with Newport Harbor stacking against the run.

Evans completed three of five passes for 66 yards on the Sea Kings’ first scoring drive in the second quarter. He found a wide-open Quinn at the 10 for the touchdown.

On the next possession, Evans scrambled 31 yards for a first down on the Newport Harbor 35. Two plays later, Hess caught a 10-yard pass, then ran through two tackles for the score.

“I told the receivers we had to do it,” Evans said. “We had to take control of the game.”

The Sea Kings did, on both sides on the line.

They limited the Sailors (4-1, 1-1) to 156 yards. They had been averaging nearly 200 yards rushing per game, but gained only 70 on the ground Friday.

Quarterback Gregg Williams completed eight of 20 passes for 86 yards. He also had a pass intercepted and was sacked twice.

“We knew from the first play we had them,” said defensive end Jeff Borland, who had both sacks. “We showed them.”

But no one more than Evans.