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TUSTIN – Corona del Mar quarterback Chase Garbers acknowledged that it can be a little tough being thrown from the bench into the fire of a game.

He sure didn’t show any ill effects from it Thursday night against Beckman.

Garbers completed 9 of 11 passes for 159 yards and three touchdowns as the Sea Kings defeated the Patriots, 35-13, in a Pacific Coast League game.

Corona del Mar (8-1, 4-0) had been without the services of starter Peter Bush the last couple of weeks due to an ankle injury. Garbers started the last two games and flourished in wins over Woodbridge and University.

With Bush back, however, the sophomore was back to being thte team’s second-string quarterback.

Bush led the Sea Kings to a touchdown on his first drive of the game, scoring on a 2-yard keeper. Garbers came in after the first quarter ended and led a pair of touchdown drives, including a 7-yard scoring toss to Bo St. Geme.

“It’s hard coming in cold during the first half and second half,” Garbers said. “But it works.”

The Patriots (4-5, 1-3) hung around, as Dean Nagle found Logan Garrick on a 49-yard pass to close the gap to 21-6 at the half.

“We played OK. We gave up a couple of big plays on defense and did some good things on offense,” Sea Kings coach Scott Meyer said. “But it probably wasn’t our sharpest.”

Garbers erased all doubt of the game’s outcome on the first play of the second half.

The sophomore threw a 66-yard strike to Dylan Tucker to open the third quarter. He added a 29-yard scoring toss to Cole Collins late in the fourth quarter.

“I’ve been preparing to play all (during) practice this week,” Garbers said. “(I) just went in and did what we practiced.”

Meyer is happy to have a pair quarterbacks he can count on.

“(Garber’s has) played great since he stepped in,” Meyer said. “We’re lucky we have two great quarterbacks.”

Contact the writer: mkatz@ocregister.com