NEWPORT BEACH – A tough defense and a stout offensive line are good foundations for any football team.
San Clemente displayed both Friday in a 28-0 win over Corona del Mar in a nonleague game at Newport Harbor High.
San Clemente’s Max Kotiranta, right, misses the completion as Corona del Mar’s Tucker Murray, left, knocks the ball loose during the game between San Clemente vs. Corona del Mar at Newport Harbo Harbor Hugh School. Photographed on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Corona del Mar’s, Dorsett Stecker, can’t reach this pass which was intercepted. San Clemente vs. Corona del Mar in a nonleague football game at Newport Harbor Harbor High School. Photographed on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
San Clemente’s Colin Kohl can’t hang on to the ball during a game between San Clemente vs Corona del Mar at Newport Harbor Harbor Hugh School. Photographed on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
San Clemente’s Dawson Martinez looks for an open receiver during the game between San Clemente vs. Corona del Mar in a nonleague football game at Newport Harbor Harbor High School. Photographed on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
San Clemente’s Brady Gadol hauls in a pass for a touchdown as Corona del Mar’s Cole Herlean defends in a game between San Clemente vs. Corona del Mar in a nonleague football game at Newport Harbor Harbor High School. Photographed on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Corona del Mar’s Zach Giuliano, right, is hit hard by the San Clemente defense during a game between San Clemente vs. Corona del Mar at Newport Harbor Harbor Hugh School. Photographed on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Corona del Mar’s Breck Clemmer, right, is brought down by San Clemente’s Mason Evans, left, during a game between San Clemente vs. Corona del Mar game at Newport Harbor Harbor Hugh School. Photographed on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Coronal del Mar’s Sam-reed Dickens looks to turn the corner in a game between San Clemente vs. Corona del Mar at Newport Harbor Harbor Hugh School. Photographed on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Corona del Mar’s Max Nashed is brought down by the San Clemente defense. Photographed on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
San Clemente’s Dawson Martinez looks for an open receiver during the game between San Clemente vs. Corona del Mar in a nonleague football game at Newport Harbor Harbor High School. Photographed on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
San Clemente’s Max Kotiranta, right, fakes out Corona del Mar’s Nick Telesco, left, during the game between San Clemente vs Corona Del Mar game at Newport Harbor.. Photographed on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
San Clemente’s Colin Kohl celebrates with teammates after scoring late in the second quarter in a game between San Clemente vs. Corona del Mar at Newport Harbor Harbor Hugh School. Photographed on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
San Clemente’s Cole Herlean, right, celebrates his touchcown in a game agaisnst.Corona del Mar in a nonleague football game at Newport Harbor Harbor High School. Photographed on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
San Clemente’s Colin Kohl scores the lone touchdown in the first haff in a game between San Clemente vs. Corona del Mar at Newport Harbor Harbor Hugh School. Photographed on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
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San Clemente’s Max Kotiranta, right, misses the completion as Corona del Mar’s Tucker Murray, left, knocks the ball loose during the game between San Clemente vs. Corona del Mar at Newport Harbo Harbor Hugh School. Photographed on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
The Tritons defense made three interceptions. Their offensive line protected quarterback Dawson Martinez who completed 13 of 19 passes for 227 yards and a touchdown and broke open lanes for running back Colin Kohl who rushed for 76 yards and three touchdowns.
San Clemente played a turnover-free game.
San Clemente (2-2) is No. 8 in the Orange County Top 25 that has Corona del Mar (2-2) at No. 13.
The Tritons’ losses were to Chaparral of Temecula 17-16 and last week to La Costa Canyon 27-17 sandwiched around a 30-23 win over Oak Ridge of El Dorado Hills. Chaparral and La Costa Canyon were 3-0 going into this week.
San Clemente coach Jaime Ortiz said the Tritons finally played what he called “a complete game.”
“We came together,” Ortiz said. “We got some turnovers and some big plays. That’s what we were looking for.”
Kohl scored on runs of 13, 25 and 2 yards with plenty of help from the San Clemente offensive line of Max Bolliger, Scott Johnson, Chase McNamara, Ryan Moonly and Sheperd Turner with assistance from tight end Xander Rex. Martinez connected with Cole Herlean on a 46-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter that completed the scoring.
Both teams put together long drives in the first quarter – each team had possession only once in the quarter – but were unable to score.
San Clemente’s game-opening drive finished with a missed 40-yard field goal attempt. Corona del Mar, missing a couple of important players on defense because of injuries, got to the San Clemente 12-yard where, on fourth-and-1, Sea Kings quarterback Max Nashed was tackled quickly by Patrick Norman for a 1-yard loss.
San Clemente’s Max Bollard made an interception at the Tritons 41-yard line, returned it to the Corona del Mar 34 and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Corona del Mar gave San Clemente first-down possession at the Sea Kings 19. Colin Kohl scored on a 13-yard run with 58 seconds left in the second quarter and the Tritons took a 7-0 lead into halftime.
Early in the third quarter Tritons linebacker Puka Fuimaono forced a fumble on a sack with Norman making the recovery at the Corona del Mar 25-yard line. Kohl scored from there on a 25-yard run for a 14-0 lead.
San Clemente’s Mason Evans made an interception in the fourth quarter that led to Kohl’s 2-yard touchdown run for a 21-0 advantage, and the Matinez-to-Herlean touchdown capped the scoring.
Riley Kelley made San Clemente’s third interception.
Corona del Mar and San Clemente have played each other every season since 2018, except for the 2020 pandemic-shortened season. Corona del Mar beat the Tritons in 2018, 2019 and 2021. San Clemente beat the Sea Kings in 2022 and ‘23 (28-14).
San Clemente has a nonleague home game Friday against Chino Hills. The Tritons play two more nonleague games, against Murrieta Valley and Coronado of Henderson, Nev. before playing their first Alpha League game at home against Mission Viejo on Oct. 18. Also in the four-team Alpha League are Edison and Los Alamitos.
Corona del Mar has a bye next week. The Sea Kings play Trabuco Hills in their final nonleague game before they play their first Bravo League game at San Juan Hills on Oct. 4. Other Bravo League teams are Newport Harbor, Tesoro, Villa Park and Yorba Linda.
