CdM seeking breakthrough

To reach the Laguna Beach High football stadium for Friday’s CIF Southern Section Southern Division semifinal contest at 7 p.m., Corona del Mar will venture south along a stretch of Pacific Coast Highway.

And when it comes to the competitive history between the two coastal neighbors, the Sea Kings can definitely be considered the bullies up the street.

No. 2-seeded CdM (10-2) has won its last 11 meetings with the Breakers (10-2), and 16 of the last 17 between the two schools, who have been aligned together in five different leagues since CdM’s initial varsity season in 1962.

CdM is 16-4 all-time against Laguna Beach, which is making its first CIF semifinal appearance since 1962.

The Sea Kings, runners-up in the Pacific Coast League, have advanced to the CIF semifinals for the third time in the last four seasons and have ventured this deep into the playoffs seven times since 1988, when they won the first of their back-to-back section crowns.

Laguna Beach, the third-place representative from the Orange Coast League, is looking to reach its fourth section title game. The Breakers were CIF Central Division champions in 1946. They lost in the final in 1952 and 1962.

High-powered offense has been the calling card for both squads. CdM comes in averaging 35 points per game, while the Breakers average nearly 48 per contest.

CdM, led by senior quarterback Brent Lawson, has produced most of its yards in the air. Lawson has completed 140 of 258 passes for 2,337 yards and 25 touchdowns. He has thrown 11 interceptions.

Senior tailback Erik Fisher has led the CdM ground game with 1,319 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on 226 carries.

Laguna Beach’s wing-T offense, installed by first-year coach Mike Churchill, has a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in junior fullback Drake Martinez (1,740 yards and 27 TDs) and senior halfback Norton Penney (1,173 yards and 18 TDs).

Larry Stewart, the Breakers’ junior quarterback, has thrown for 1,280 yards and 17 touchdowns, completing 69 of 136 with just three interceptions.

Defensively, CdM is paced by senior outside linebackers Frasier Anderson (80 tackles) and Aaron White (77 tackles and 13 sacks), as well as senior inside ‘backers David Moore (77 tackles) and Grant Garrett (74 tackles).

The Sea Kings, led by first-year coach Scott Meyer, thumped Westminster, 43-7, in the first round and dispatched Los Amigos, 45-7, in the quarterfinals.

Laguna Beach handled Anaheim, 49-13, before upsetting No. 3-seeded Segerstrom, 51-40, in the quarterfinals.

Friday’s winner advances to the Dec. 9 title game against either top-seeded Beckman (10-2) or No. 4-seeded Estancia (10-2).

barry.faulkner@latimes.com

Twitter: @BarryFaulkner5