Kevin Welch

Barry Faulkner Long before he was big enough, fast enough, even old enough to compete between the whistles, Kevin Welch was hauling in passes on the field at Corona del Mar High football games. But now a sophomore in his first varsity season, the former Sea Kings ball boy takes his tosses from the quarterback, not game officials. And, these days, the notoriety that comes with those catches extends well beyond the envy of his former junior high classmates.

Eight Corona del Mar high football players have been named All-Pacific Coast League by the league's coaches. Senior receiver Kevin Welch and senior tailback Wess Presson are first-team picks on offense while junior end Matt Burgner and senior linebacker John Shanahan are first-team honorees on defense. Senior quarterback Tom Welch and senior fullback Austin Brawner are second-team selections on offense. Junior linebacker Shaun Mohler and senior cornerback David del Fante are second-team choices on defense.

IRVINE - Host Northwood High earned a 15-12, 15-12, 15-13 Pacific Coast League boys volleyball victory over Corona del Mar Wednesday, but CdM Coach Steve Conti was encouraged by the Sea Kings' effort. "Our whole team competed well and we had opportunities to win all three games," Conti said. "This was one of our better defensive matches of the year." Kevin Welch (17 kills and 24 digs), John Grod (12 kills, 25 digs) and Bart Welch (eight kills, 25 digs)

Steve Virgen It was a match the Corona del Mar High boys volleyball team was supposed to win. It was also a match that showed just how far Sea King freshman Adam Smith has come in such a short time. Corona del Mar, the defending Pacific Coast League champion, easily defeated Calvary Chapel, 25-10, 25-17, 25-8, in the Sea Kings gym Friday, when Smith, the only freshman on the squad, continued to solidify his status on the varsity team. Smith had just one kill and one block assist, but he pulled the Sea Kings out of an early rut in the opening game.

2 Kevin Welch 6-2, 205, Sr. All-league wide receiver since his sophomore year, will start at free safety as well. 45 Matt Burgner 6-0, 200, Jr. All-league defensive end as a sophomore, hopes to improve upon his eight-sack 2003 campaign. 60 John Fairbanks 6-4, 240, Jr. Will start at offensive and defensive tackle after strong workouts impressed coaches. 1 Austin Brawner 5-11, 180, Sr. The returning leading rusher for the Sea Kings would rather run over than around defenders.

Bryce Alderton Defeating the defending Pacific Coast League champion should have pleased the Corona del Mar High boys volleyball team, right? The Sea Kings sent visiting Northwood home with a 13-15, 15-4, 15-7, 15-9 league loss Wednesday, but it was hardly to the liking of CdM Coach Steve Conti, who had a few words about his team's preparation and intensity. "We didn't come ready to play," Conti said. "We played with no emotion, like we didn't want to be out there.

Bryce Alderton Corona del Mar High boys volleyball coach Steve Conti called this year's team his deepest in 10 years at the helm. And on Saturday the Sea Kings proved their coach right in more ways than one. A determined CdM team that included 10 seniors went the furthest it could in the CIF Southern Section Division II playoffs, which culminated with a 25-23, 25-18, 26-24 victory against Valencia of Valencia,...

Steve Virgen Corona del Mar High Coach Dick Freeman said it's always difficult for his football team to respond after a loss to Back Bay rival Newport Harbor. Yet, Freeman went with something simple for the Sea Kings to earn a 28-14 nonleague victory over Cypress at Western High Friday night. "It's always nice having athletes," Freeman said after his team celebrated with a bit of relief. CdM junior quarterback Tom Welch typified Freeman's mention of athletes by running for two touchdowns, showing his improvisation skills that helped lead the Sea Kings (3-1)

Corona del Mar High's boys volleyball team wrapped up play in the Orange County Championships Saturday with a 15-0, 15-3 win over Edison in the consolation bracket. Kevin Welch paced the Sea Kings (5-7) with eight kills while Brian Brinkerhoff added seven. Dominic Rubino played solid defense, according to CdM Coach Steve Conti, and tallied nine digs Earlier in the day CdM was defeated by Huntington Beach, 5-15, 15-10, 16-17, and by Fountain Valley, 12-15, 15-3, 13-15.

BY TONY LEE CORONA DEL MAR — The age-old sports debate (pun intended) came into action Saturday at the 21st annual Jack Errion Memorial Alumni Basketball Tournament. Who wins a basketball game — the young and athletic or the veteran and wise? The debate, at least when it’s an alumni basketball tournament at the Corona del Mar High gym, favors the class of 2004-05 team, who won the game, 33-21, against the mixed classes of the 1970s and ’80s. “It’s fun every year,” said Brett Hirata (2005)

COSTA MESA — Two weeks without practicing finally took a toll on Kevin Welch at the wrong time. Welch looked winded and the Orange Coast College men’s volleyball team lost his services. The Pacific Coast Conference Co-Player of the Year sat on the bench uneasy, bad back and all. His team had just won back-to-back games after dropping Game 1. The chances of Welch reentering soon, not the greatest as Orange Coast Coach Travis Turner tried to save him. Santa Barbara City College appeared in control and on its way to forcing a decisive Game 5 in the Southern California Regional playoffs Tuesday.

COSTA MESA — Kevin Welch was himself on the volleyball court. He constantly wiped the wet spots on the floor with a towel. He took charge, once ordering an Orange Coast College teammate to sit down because it wasn’t his turn to serve. He then almost took out one of the line judges with a ferocious shot, accurate enough to record a kill. “That happens sometimes,” Welch said with a smile. The line judge made herself a perfect target in the corner.

Of all the teams in this year's Jones Cup, Santa Ana Country Club likely boasts the most familiarity among its participants. Three players: head professional Geoff Cochrane, women's champion Marianne Towersey and 2004 men's champion Bill Welch competed in the re-formatted Jones Cup last year at Newport Beach Country Club, when the team finished at 2-under-par 69, tying Big Canyon Country Club for second place. The format for this year's event evolved even more with the addition of a fifth participant for each team: a second golf staff member.

Rick Devereux It's funny how things come full circle. Trevor Theriot, Kasey Peters, Alex Orth and Kevin Welch started playing football together on the same team in Junior All-America. Theriot, Peters and Orth went to Newport Harbor High and Welch went on to Corona del Mar where the two sides battled for supremacy in the Battle of the Bay. Theriot, Peters, Orth and the rest of the Sailors won all three contests the teams played on the varsity level since they were on the teams as sophomores.

Rick Devereux Brett Perrine was close to unstoppable for the Newport Harbor High boys volleyball team. The 6-foot-6 senior outside hitter essentially carried the Sailors to a CIF Southern Section Division I quarterfinal berth as the featured weapon for setter Ted Slater. "We didn't try to fool people," Coach Dan Glenn said. "But he has the ability to move around, so, even if you know we are going to set him, you might not know where we are going to set him."

Bryce Alderton Corona del Mar High boys volleyball coach Steve Conti called this year's team his deepest in 10 years at the helm. And on Saturday the Sea Kings proved their coach right in more ways than one. A determined CdM team that included 10 seniors went the furthest it could in the CIF Southern Section Division II playoffs, which culminated with a 25-23, 25-18, 26-24 victory against Valencia of Valencia,...

Rick Devereux Without wise leadership, men are in trouble. The proverb could easily apply to nations as it was originally intended or, it could apply to sporting teams, for without leaders a team has no direction. The Corona del Mar High boys volleyball team has leaders, direction and is far from being in trouble. On the contrary, the Sea Kings have enjoyed success early this season, thanks largely to the senior leadership on the squad. With 10 of the 16 varsity players in their final year, CdM is loaded with experienced players willing and able to stand up and take charge of any situation that may arise.

Eight Corona del Mar high football players have been named All-Pacific Coast League by the league's coaches. Senior receiver Kevin Welch and senior tailback Wess Presson are first-team picks on offense while junior end Matt Burgner and senior linebacker John Shanahan are first-team honorees on defense. Senior quarterback Tom Welch and senior fullback Austin Brawner are second-team selections on offense. Junior linebacker Shaun Mohler and senior cornerback David del Fante are second-team choices on defense.

Rick Devereux The Corona del Mar High football team defeated Costa Mesa, 35-9, Friday night at Newport Harbor High in a nonleague game to mark the third consecutive year the Sea Kings opened up a season with two victories. Before the game, Costa Mesa Coach Tom Baldwin said he was worried about the passing attack of CdM (2-0), ranked No. 7 in CIF Southern Section Division IX, especially since seniors Kevin Welch and Shane Collins, the two leading receivers from a year ago, were back in uniform after not dressing for the season opener last week due to injuries.