Fresh Off a Defeat, La Habra Gears Up for Newport Harbor

La Habra High School football Coach Jack Nicholls watched it. Highlander fans witnessed it. Even the Highlanders’ kilt-wearing, bagpipe-playing mascot saw it all happen from the sidelines.

But in the end, few La Habra supporters could believe that after putting up such a valiant fight, the Highlanders had lost to Division IV defending champion and top-ranked Los Altos, 24-13, Friday night.

La Habra’s tenacity enabled it to come back from a 21-0 deficit, and Nicholls shouted nothing but high praise at his players after the game.

So what does all this mean for Newport Harbor, which plays host to La Habra at 7:30 tonight?

It means, Sailors, prepare yourselves. Despite the fact that La Habra (2-1) lost, it left the field proud, confident and more than ready to meet its next match.

“Our seniors took (the loss) real hard,” Nicholls said. “But they also knew Los Altos was a great team and that they were very capable of winning that game. Our underclassmen gained a great deal of confidence from the game. They feel ready for anything now.”

If that’s true, Newport Harbor (2-1) may need to rev up its intensity, especially on offense.

After beating Laguna Beach, 30-6, and Ocean View, 26-14, Newport Harbor was beaten, 7-6, by Huntington Beach last Thursday in a lackluster performance of which neither side was particularly proud.

“We had the opportunity to win,” Sailor Coach Jeff Brinkley said. “We had numerous opportunities to score.”

If Newport Harbor is to cash in on any opportunities tonight, it will have to get through the Highlander defense, one that has played a great deal better than Nicholls expected from a young group.

Dan Ledieff, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound offensive guard and defensive tackle, is considered a fine college prospect. His brother Jeff, a sophomore tight end and defensive end, has played surprisingly well, as have junior linebacker Pat Gleason and senior linebacker Chad Pitcher.

On offense, running back Mark Brown (288 yards, five touchdowns, 7.6 yards a carry) and fullback Jeff Besinaiz (211 yards, 9.2 average) are the team leaders. And although quarterback Mark Moreno completed only four of 15 passes for 58 yards against Los Altos, he threw touchdown passes on two consecutive completions.

But Newport Harbor quarterback Steve Scheck is more effective overall. Scheck, a senior who started the final four games last year and completed more than 60% of his passes, has improved that figure to 67% this season, throwing for 383 yards in three games. Tight end George Greenwalt (13 receptions for 133 yards) and wide receiver Aaron Kaiser (9 for 100) are the prime targets.

On the ground, the Sailors rely on Todd Farley and Wayne Fraiser.

“With Newport Harbor, we’re stepping out of the frying pan and into the fire,” Nicholls said. “We won last year, but it was close (14-8). They’re a very physical, very good football team. There’s no doubt in my mind they’ll be ready for us.”

In tonight’s other games:

Mater Dei (0-3) vs. Edison (1-2) at Orange Coast College, 8 p.m.--Although Mater Dei is off to one of its worst starts in recent history, Coach Bruce Rollinson has managed to keep his sense of humor as evidenced by his telephone recorder message: “It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you wear those blue suede shoes,” he says. Quarterback Dan O’Neil has passed for 560 yards, and Kealii Clifford has averaged 12.8 yards on 14 receptions. Said Rollinson: “I still think we’re a good 0-3 football team. I just think we need to gel on both sides of the ball.”

After losing its first two games, Edison came back with a 30-16 victory over Dominguez Thursday, thanks to fine defensive play. The Chargers forced three turnovers in the second half, scoring on each ensuing drive. Shane Sherman has rushed for 287 yards and four touchdowns.

Fountain Valley (1-2) at El Modena (1-2)--After losing, 34-7, to now top-ranked Mission Viejo last week, Fountain Valley hopes to rebuild its confidence.

But El Modena, coming off a 28-0 victory over Warren, is looking sharp. Last week, junior quarterback Adam Garcia passed for 160 yards and a touchdown and ran for another.

Fountain Valley quarterback Willy Puga is among the county’s best, having passed for 369 yards and four touchdowns in three games.

Rancho Alamitos (1-2) vs. Kennedy (1-2) at Western High School--In the Garden Grove League opener for both teams, Kennedy’s main focus will be stopping Dana Riddle, the county’s No. 2 performer in rushing with 575 yards (6.2 yards a carry) in three games.

Kennedy’s Ed Williams turned in a strong performance last week in a 21-10 victory over Anaheim. The senior running back gained 90 yards in 14 carries.

Valencia (3-0) vs. Troy (2-1) at Fullerton High School--As usual, Valencia’s defense is its strength. Last week, in its 35-0 crushing of El Dorado, Valencia held the Golden Hawks to a net loss of 38 yards. Offensively, quarterback Richard Wells is completing 65.9% of his passes and has passed for 392 yards.

But Troy should provide the Tigers with a more formidable challenge. Before its 21-7 loss to Brea-Olinda last week, Troy had outscored its opponents, 67-0.

Also: Compton vs. Los Alamitos at Veterans Stadium, Los Amigos at Bolsa Grande, Brea-Olinda vs. Sonora at La Habra, Cypress vs. Anaheim at Glover Stadium, Fullerton vs. El Dorado at Valencia High School, Lakewood vs. Marina at Westminster High School, Savanna at Buena Park, University vs. Foothill at Tustin High School.