TUSTIN – Chase Garbers would probably like to face Beckman a few more times before his high school career concludes at Corona del Mar.
Garbers, a Cal-bound senior quarterback, matched his career high with six touchdown passes for the second consecutive season against the Patriots, leading the Sea Kings to a 55-17 victory Thursday night at Tustin High.
Garbers threw all of six of his touchdowns in the first half before sitting out all but the first series of the second half. He completed 13 of 19 passes for 240 yards, and was also intercepted for the first time this season.
Tae Le caught four passes for 55 yards and three touchdowns – all in the first half – giving him 13 on the season.
Le snared his first touchdown of the game, a 9-yarder on the opening possession of the game.
The Sea Kings (6-1, 2-0 Pacific Coast League) then made one of their few mistakes on the night, muffing a punt that Beckman’s Elijah Juarez recovered at the Corona del Mar 9-yard line. The Patriots settled for a 23-yard field goal from Liam Molina, however, which would be their only points of the first half.
Corona del Mar had success with screen passes in the opening half and JT Murphy secured one for a 25-yard touchdown to stretch the lead to 14-3.
Beckman (3-4, 1-1) had opened the game with an unsuccessful onside kick try, so the Sea Kings tried one of their own and recovered the ball at the Patriots’ 29. Two plays later, Garbers found Le for a 18-yard connection and a 21-3 lead.
Garbers would throw his fourth touchdown pass of the opening quarter following a recovered fumble by Charlie Blower.
Corona del Mar didn’t let up in the second quarter, as Garbers hit Le on a 19-yard scoring pass and Billy Shaw on a 26-yarder with 1:33 left, giving the Sea Kings a 42-3 lead at the break.
