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High Schools: Long mourned by Emme, CdM

By David Carrillo Peñaloza , 04/16/12, 10:32PM PDT

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Keith Long, a former Corona del MarHigh baseball and football standout, died last week.

Coach John Emme returned to the Corona del Mar High baseball field on Monday. He was supposed to feel recharged after spending the second part of spring break last week away from the game.

Emme said he was down. Baseball wasn't on his mind.

News of one of his former player's passing away last week was and the loss has affected the 48-year-old Emme.

Emme said he received a message that Keith Long, a former CdM standout, died at age 27 from complications from chronic bronchitis on Friday.

"Every kid that you have leaves a piece with you," Emme said. "Keith was a very special kid to me."

Long's first season with the Sea Kings came in 2000, Emme's third season in charge at CdM.

When Emme first saw Long, he stood out as a freshman.

There aren't too many ninth-graders starting on varsity, let alone at a strong program like CdM. The Sea Kings were coming off a CIF Southern Section Division IV title when Long arrived.

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