Corona del Mar flag football lifts Division 2 crown with win over Westlake

ORANGE — The Corona del Mar flag football team navigated a tough road through much of the regular season and during the CIF Southern Section playoffs.

After scrapping their way through a tough league and a playoff run against quality teams, the Sea Kings came into the CIF-SS Division 2 championship game Saturday well prepared, and it showed in a 26-14 victory over Westlake at El Modena High.

The Southern Section title is the first for the Sea Kings, who came into the season without a single senior on their roster. A sophomore, Addison Stern, took over at quarterback midway through the season.

Corona del Mar (18-14) got into the playoffs as the fourth-place team out of the Sunset League.

“We have a list of ‘B’ rules, and our number one (rule) is ‘believe,’ ” Corona del Mar coach Theo Rokos said. “And this group worked so hard from August until now. People wrote us off. We knew if we could get that four-spot and get in, we could be dangerous.”

Stern was a factor in all four touchdowns the Sea Kings scored Saturday.

Stern’s superior speed presented a major challenge for the Warriors (17-7).

Stern, who also plays lacrosse and soccer, completed 17 of 24 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown and ran for 60 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries.

“Rushing is my favorite part of football,” she said. “It is what I enjoy most.”

Stern started the season as a defensive back before switching positions with freshman Mia Palaferri, who had been the quarterback.

“It was super scary,” Stern said. “But I’ve grown a lot from it.”

On the Sea Kings’ first drive of the game, Stern completed a five-yard pass and ran on three consecutive downs, finishing with a three-yard touchdown run that gave Corona del Mar a 7-0 lead.

The Warriors tied the score with a 28-yard touchdown pass from Annabel O’Keefe to Kate Janowicz.

Corona del Mar then scored three consecutive touchdowns, the first on 2-yard run from Stern, then a 1-yard touchdown pass from Stern to Brooke Morris and then a 6-yard scoring run from Stern.

The Sea Kings’ playoff run included a 20-18 victory over Agoura, a 7-6 victory over No. 4 seed Lindfield Christian in the second round, a 27-20 victory over Ventura, and a 27-18 victory over Newberry Park in the semifinal round.

“We lost all of our starters last year,” Stern said. “So, going into this league, I didn’t expect us to get this far. And then after every CIF win, it was just a glimpse of hope, that we made it this far. It’s the best feeling ever.”