San Clemente football blanks Corona del Mar

Corona del Mar quarterback Max Nashed (5) takes a sack in the first half against San Clemente on Friday.

By Matt SzaboStaff Writer

Sept. 14, 2024 6:37 PM PT

The Corona del Mar and San Clemente high school football teams enjoy their nonleague game against one another each season.

As two of the better public school programs in Orange County, there’s definitely more than a modicum of respect there.

“I have a lot of respect for Coach [Kevin] Hettig and what they do at CdM,” San Clemente coach Jaime Ortiz said. “We’re very similar [programs], with neighborhood kids who go out and play for their school and their community. I think it’s a great showcase game for us. It’s always a battle each game.”

The Sea Kings were perhaps too gracious hosting as they battled the Tritons Friday night at Davidson Field.

Corona del Mar's Wyatt Lucas is met by a group of San Clemente defenders as he runs through a gap on Friday night.

San Clemente‘s defense had interceptions by Max Bollard, Mason Evans and Riley Kelley and a strip sack fumble recovery. And three touchdown runs by senior Colin Kohl propelled the offense, as San Clemente rolled to a 28-0 victory.

Both teams are now 2-2 this season.

Hettig said CdM’s game plan was to try to pound the football with senior back Wyatt Lucas, particularly while missing three starters on defense.

San Clemente, which beat CdM for the third straight year, drove the ball down the field on its opening drive. But a key third-down sack by CdM’s Breck Clemmer pushed the Tritons back, and they missed a 40-yard field goal attempt.

Corona del Mar lineman Damian Zeno-Herrera (55) sacks San Clemente quarterback Dawson Martinez on Friday night.

The Sea Kings ran Lucas six times on their opening drive, and put together their own foray to the red zone. But, on fourth-and-one at the San Clemente 12-yard line, a designed run by senior quarterback Max Nashed was stopped in the backfield by Tritons junior lineman Patrick Norman for a one-yard loss and turnover on downs.

“We did a good job of executing on our first drive, then one miss on fourth-and-one and it reset the whole game,” Hettig said. “Yeah, it was frustrating, a frustrating night.”

The visitors used defense to spark their offense just before halftime, getting a short field opportunity after Bollard’s interception. Three plays later, Kohl found plenty of room running left to the end zone from 13 yards out.

“The second quarter, we were able to bring some pressure at them, and those turnovers made a big difference in the game for us,” Ortiz said. “The fourth-and-one stop, to me, that’s a turnover as well. I think the kids did a great job of executing the game plan. That’s a good win for our program moving forward.”

Corona del Mar's Ryan Rakunas (7) makes a hard hit on San Clemente's Cole Herlean after a catch on Friday night.

The strip sack by USC-bound senior outside linebacker Matai Tagoa’i early in the third quarter was recovered by Norman, who also had two sacks himself for San Clemente, at the Sea Kings 25-yard line. On the next play, Kohl broke several tackles to score on a 25-yard touchdown.

Kohl added a two-yard score midway through the fourth quarter, before senior quarterback Dawson Martinez found senior receiver Cole Herlean on a 46-yard bomb.

Junior lineman Damian Zeno-Herrera also had a sack on defense for CdM. Nashed exited in the second half in favor of junior Brady Annett after he dinged his elbow up, though Hettig said Nashed should be fine.

“Brady is going to get snaps in games,” Hettig said. “We were going to try to ride Max, see if he could get through it, but Brady’s a very good football player.”

Corona del Mar receiver Emori Davis (14) is tackled after a catch by Riley Kelley during Friday night's nonleague game.

Corona del Mar, which has lost two straight games, has a bye next week. The Sea Kings return to Davidson Field on Sept. 27, when they host Trabuco Hills.

That’s not a cakewalk by any means, as the Mustangs are 3-0.

“We need to learn from our mistakes tonight,” Hettig said. “We’re going to play another big game against a really good team, and we’re going to have to figure out what our problems are and fix them.”