CdM takes overtime loss at Yorba Linda, Bravo League title split 3 ways
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YORBA LINDA — Corona del Mar could not complete an undefeated regular season, a couple of key turnovers tipping the scales in its Bravo League football finale.
Thomas Knutson came up with the interception of the Sea Kings’ lone offensive play in overtime, putting an end to the latest chapter in a burgeoning rivalry between CdM and Yorba Linda.
Brady Annett accounted for four total touchdowns, but CdM suffered a 35-28 defeat Thursday at Nathan Shapell Memorial Stadium.
Corona del Mar (9-1, 4-1 in the Bravo League) held the inside track to an outright league championship, which ended up being shared three ways. Yorba Linda (8-2, 4-1) grabbed its share with the result, while San Juan Hills (8-2, 4-1) made its way to the top with a 41-7 win over Tesoro.
“It’s two really good teams that left it out here tonight,” CdM coach Kevin Hettig said. “That’s all you can ask for in a football game. We came up short. We didn’t play our best in the second half, and that type of thing is going to happen. If you don’t play well against a team like this, you’re going to get beat.”
The Sea Kings took a 21-7 lead into halftime and were going to get the ball back, but a fumble on the kickoff coming out of the locker room loomed large. Andrew Maldonado made the recovery for the Mustangs at the CdM 18-yard line.
Five plays later — all on the ground — Isaiah Trujillo crashed into the end zone for his second score of the evening. The sophomore running back ended up with a game-best 127 rushing yards.
“I think at the beginning of the half, when we got that fumble, that’s when everything started to change for us,” Trujillo said. “Everything started clicking from there.”
Corona del Mar punted the ball away near midfield on its next possession.
Yorba Linda, which threw the ball just four times after halftime, put together an 11-play, 83-yard march that took six minutes off the clock. Noah Trujillo connected with Troy Roberts on a fade route to the left corner of the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown, tying the score, 21-21, on the first play of the fourth quarter.
The Sea Kings responded with an even longer drive, getting the ball back at their own 11-yard line. An ineligible-receiver penalty backed them up to the shadow of their own end zone, before a defensive personal foul got the drive started.
Annett made magic out of an extended play, coming all the way to the Mustangs’ sideline before reversing field. He was back between the hash marks before unleashing a deep pass to Garrett James for a 35-yard gain down to the Yorba Linda 7-yard line.
“The same thing happened last week [when] I scored on a play similar to [the broken play],” said James, who had five catches for 104 receiving yards, including a touchdown grab along the boundary. “I just run behind everyone, they lose track of me. I just wave my arms high in the air for Brady, and he finds me every time.”
Two plays later, Annett found Dorsett Stecker in the end zone to retake the lead. Stecker finished with seven catches for 60 yards and two touchdowns.
“He’s a baller,” Hettig said of Annett. “He’s one of the best in Orange County. I don’t even think it’s hard to say that, and it’s fun to coach him, and it’s fun to watch him play.”
Again, Yorba Linda kept the ball on the ground for an extended period. The Mustangs engineered a 15-play, 73-yard drive to go down for the tying score once more.
Key plays included a 15-yard run by Isaiah Trujillo on a third-and-8, the Mustangs’ offensive line pushing the pile the majority of the gain. Yorba Linda also came out of a timeout on a fourth-and-6 at the CdM 17-yard line, picking up 15 yards on a pass from Noah Trujillo to tight end Jordan McCormack, his only catch of the contest. Fullback Vaughn Sharp got the call and carried the ball into the end zone for the tying score with roughly a minute remaining.
Corona del Mar had 55 seconds to work with to get into field goal range when it took over at its own 24-yard line. A defensive personal foul brought the ball to the CdM 43, but free safety Owen Smith came away with the interception when Annett took a deep shot in the direction of Stecker. Smith also had a fumble recovery in the first half.
The Mustangs had the ball first in overtime, and they kept it on the ground the whole way. Noah Trujillo rolled out to his left on the seventh play of the drive — which started from the 25-yard line — for the go-ahead 4-yard touchdown.
“We made plays,” Yorba Linda coach Jeff Bailey said. “The kids have heart. It’s a fun group to coach, and we’ll keep it going.”
Finn Grimstad, Nolan Scott, Max Brengel and Troy Merriman each had a sack for CdM, all coming in the first half. Tucker Murray and Cash Pearsall also had an interception apiece for the Sea Kings.
The CIF Southern Section will release its football playoff pairings at 10 a.m. on Sunday.
Bravo League
Yorba Linda 35, Corona del Mar 28
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Corona del Mar 7 - 14 - 0 - 7 - 0 — 28
Yorba Linda 7 - 0 - 7 - 14 - 7 — 35
FIRST QUARTER
YL — I. Trujillo 34 run (Wilson kick), 9:02.
CdM — Annett 1 run (DiBella kick), 2:36.
SECOND QUARTER
CdM — Stecker 15 pass from Annett (DiBella kick), 5:17.
CdM — James 11 pass from Annett (DiBella kick), 3:56.
THIRD QUARTER
YL — I. Trujillo 3 run (Wilson kick), 9:14.
FOURTH QUARTER
YL — Roberts 13 pass from N. Trujillo (Wilson kick), 11:54.
CdM — Stecker 7 pass from Annett (DiBella kick), 9:25.
YL — Sharp 2 run (Wilson kick), 1:02.
OVERTIME
YL — N. Trujillo 4 run (Wilson kick).
INDIVIDUAL RUSHING
CdM — Annett, 5-25; Kuchera, 6-22; Nixon, 1-10; Team, 1-(-1).
YL — I. Trujillo, 16-127, 2 TDs; Gutierrez, 15-78; N. Trujillo, 5-37; Smolskis, 4-14; Sharp, 1-10; Roberts, 1-3; Team, 5-(-22).
INDIVIDUAL PASSING
CdM — Annett, 16-26-2, 243, 3 TDs.
YL — N. Trujillo, 11-18-2, 130, 1 TD.
INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING
CdM — James, 5-104, 1 TD; Haley, 2-63; Stecker, 7-60, 2 TDs; Dickens, 1-9; Nixon, 1-7.
YL — Saucedo, 5-68; Roberts, 3-40, 1 TD; McCormack, 1-15; Lopez, 1-9; I. Trujillo, 1-(-2).
