Corona del Mar shuts down Bautista, Northwood

IRVINE - Corona del Mar found a way to slow down Orange County's leading passer Thursday.

The Sea Kings sacked Northwood quarterback Ricky Bautista 10 times.

Linebacker Aaron White recorded three of his four sacks in the second half to help Corona del Mar rally past Northwood, 17-10, in the teams' Pacific Coast League opener at Irvine.

Running back Erik Fisher overcame second-half cramps to rush for 157 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries for the Sea Kings, ranked first in the CIF-SS Southern Division.

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OCVarsity Hot Shots from Thursday's game action

OCVarsity Fandemonium from Thursday's games

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But the most important stat line belonged to Corona del Mar's defense. Bautista had passed for more than 300 yards in three of his past four games, but he finished with 216 yards and was sacked five times in each half.

Bautista finished with minus 66 yards rushing.

"We came in here and knew we had to get pressure on the quarterback," White said of Bautista, who entered with an Orange County-leading 1,532 passing yards. "He's been getting it through the air and on the ground."

White helped Corona del Mar (5-1, 1-0) seal the victory by sacking Bautista on Northwood's final two plays. The final sack came on a fourth down near midfield with 48 seconds left.

Corona del Mar coach Scott Meyer said his team blitzed Bautista about 70 percent of the game.

Linebacker David Moore and lineman Tim Reinhardt each recorded two sacks apiece. Bautista still completed 18 of 23 passes (78 percent), which included two dropped passes.

"We did it against the right guy, because Bautista is a really good quarterback," Meyer said.

Bautista threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to tight end Alex King in the first quarter to help Northwood (2-4, 0-1) open a 10-0 lead. The Timberwolves, ranked seventh in the division, also got a 32-yard field goal by Nathan Nellesen after an interception by Timverwolves' defensive back Kevin Norman at his 46.

But Corona del Mar then scored 17 consecutive points, including a 4-yard touchdown run by Fisher with 5:07 left in the third.

The score and extra point gave the Sea Kings their first lead, 14-10.

Northwood's chances suffered a blow late in the first half when it lost top receiver, Tyler Zorn, to a broken collar bone. Zorn, the county-leader in receptions with 54, was hurt making a leaping 40-yard catch on a reverse, flea-flicker.

Zorn's catch gave Northwood the ball at Corona del Mar's 10 and a chance to extend its 10-7 lead. But with 56 seconds left in the half, Corona del Mar defensive back Ryan Griffen intercepted Bautista in the end zone.

After Fisher gave Corona del Mar the lead in the third, the Sea Kings' defense sealed the victory in the fourth.

Northwood appeared to regain the momentum after an interception and 19-yard return by linebacker Matt Blackburn to Corona del Mar's 48 early in the fourth. But three plays later, Corona del Mar's Grant Garrett reccovered a fumble on an option run at the Sea Kings 42.

Corona del Mar than ran the ball 12 consecutive plays before its drive briely stalled at Northwood's 11. But Luke Napolitano then booted a 41-yard field goal with 3:10 left to make it a one-touchdown game, 17-10.

Corona del Mar's defense mae sure the score stayed that way.

"They're very quick," Northwood coach Rick Curtis said of Corona del Mar's defense. "They're linebackers are quick. (White) is quick. They're going to give people trouble."