Sea Kings Use Big Plays to Beat Mustangs : Football: Corona del Mar turns the ball over five times but still shuts out Costa Mesa, 20-0. Hess scores three touchdowns.

NEWPORT BEACH — Corona del Mar capitalized on big offensive plays to offset five turnovers and came away with a 20-0 season-opening victory over an undermanned Costa Mesa team Friday night at Newport Harbor High School.

The Sea Kings, attempting to rebound from a disappointing 1991 season, got a three-touchdown performance from running back Tom Hess and a 165-yard rushing game from fullback J.R. Walz.

Costa Mesa, which suited up only 19 players, threatened to score first after James Vega’s interception and return of a Matt Evans pass to the Sea King 25-yard line. The Mustangs moved the ball to the Corona del Mar 12, but Brian Luxembourger’s 30-yard field-goal attempt was wide.

The miss opened the door for the Sea Kings, who scored three plays later on an 84-yard pass from Evans to Hess, breaking the 1979 school record of 82 yards (Clay Tucker to Chris Bright against Newport Harbor).

Corona del Mar took a 13-0 lead shortly before halftime following Chris Quinn’s recovery of a Mustang fumble on the Costa Mesa 20. Walz ran 16 yards to the four. One play later, Hess scored on a three-yard sweep with 22 seconds left until halftime.

A 99-yard, fourth-quarter scoring drive effectively put the game away for the Sea Kings. Walz broke loose for a 50-yard run with only a shoestring tackle by Vega preventing him from going all the way.

Three plays later, Evans hit Hess with a 36-yard scoring pass with 8 minutes 37 seconds left in the game.