GAME OF THE WEEK RECAP AND TOP PHOTOS: Kuchera, Sea Kings Reel Back The Telegraph Trophy

By Justin Tatsuki Lee

Saturday October 12, 2025

COSTA MESA- The 64th edition of the Battle of the Bay was another showcase of grit and smash mouth football. The Sea Kings, though not pretty at times, were able to play a hard fought game to out last the Sailors 21-6 and hoist the victory bell for the first time since 2022 and earn Coach Kevin Hettig his first win in the Battle of the Bay since taking over as head coach of the program in 2023. Chase Kuchera would take two trips to the endzone while heading a two headed run game alongside Trejan Nixon throughout the night. 

The return of the Battle of the Bay at Orange Coast College for the first time since 2016, brought another completely sold out crowd to Costa Mesa. The Kings Krew of Corona Del Mar and Newport Harbor’s Tar Pit had the stadium rocking throughout the evening. Newport Harbor came into the game dawning their Battleship Gray uniforms and a homage to Tommy Tar on their white football helmets. The shocker of the evening came immediately after the initial kick off to Newport Harbor when JSerra transfer, Jordan Spigarelli, stepped onto the field in place of the apparent injured Jake Meer who had started every game since the beginning of the season. 

Corona Del Mar, after forcing a punt on Newport Harbor’s initial drive, would be capped off by Chase Kuchera’s first rushing touchdown of the night from 21 yards out. Newport would attempt to respond on the next drive getting into Sea King’s territory before being stopped by a sea wall and turning over the ball on downs before the end of the first quarter. 

Corona Del Mar’s Brady Annett would waste little time taking the ball himself on the first play before dropping a dime in the endzone to Garrett James for 40 yards, adding onto the lead for CDM. After the Sea King’s score, a pair of possession exchanges would occur before Jordan Spigarelli, able to engineer a drive with Shane McKibbon and Jackson Stremick, would spin into the endzone for the first time of night and the first time in a Sailor’s uniform. Daniel Rico’s extra point would bounce off the tip of the uprights, keeping the score at 14-6 before halftime.

Much of the third quarter and so on would become a war of attrition. Newport Harbor’s Ethan Ambat would recover a fumble in the red zone for the Sea Kings on their first drive of the half. Although immediately after, the Sea Kings would get the ball back at midfield with Spigarelli’s pass to McKibbon intercepted on a vertical route by Cash Pearsall. Both sides afterwards began forcing punts all the way through until the final quarter before Chase Kuchera would seal the game with a 5 yard touchdown for his second trip of the night, putting the game out of reach for Newport Harbor. In the final seconds with Spigarelli on a desperation down, the King Krew and CDM faithful would storm the field from the other side in full jubilation while the coaching staff raised the Victory Bell at midfield of Dick Tucker field. 

Corona Del Mar remains undefeated on their season as the front runner of the Bravo League with a chance to replicate what the 2013 and 2019 CDM teams were able to do in their time, another undefeated season into the CIF playoffs. The Sea Kings will take a trip to Villa Park on Friday. Meanwhile, Newport Harbor will slide to 2-5 on the season, still searching for their first Bravo League win. They will have, arguably, the toughest slate of their schedule as they play host to San Juan Hills before taking on Yorba Linda and then Villa Park to close out the regular season. Their season is now hanging in the balance.