CARSON — Corona del Mar scored 13 points off of turnovers and clinched the Division III CIF State Football Bowl Championship with a 27-15 win over Sacred Heart Prep of Atherton on Saturday afternoon.
Too many mistakes derailed Sacred Heart Prep's quest for a state football championship.
The Sea Kings (16-0) drove 75 yards on their opening possession, taking a 7-0 lead when quarterback Luke Napolitano threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Bo St. Geme.
Sacred Heart Prep (13-2) was stopped on its first possession but a punt that netted a distance of negative-two yards gave Corona del Mar the ball back at the Gators' 29. This time Napolitano found Connor Sage with a 5-yard touchdown pass, giving the Sea Kings a 14-0 lead.
Corona del Mar went up by 21 points later in the first quarter when Barrett Barbato intercepted a Mason Randall pass and returned it 58 yards for a touchdown.
The Gators were able to settle down for the most part. They got back in the game when Andrew Robinson returned an interception 37 yards for a touchdown. Ben Burr-Kirven, who scored the two-point conversion on Robinson's touchdown, scored on a 48-yard run, cutting the Sea Kings' lead to 21-15 at the half.
Corona del Mar added field goals in the third and fourth quarters. Both were the result of fumbles by Sacred Heart Prep.
