Sailors set to savor finals week

Barry Faulkner

NEWPORT BEACH - This may be the fourth trip to a CIF Southern

Section championship game in eight seasons for the Newport Harbor High

football program, but it’s the first title-game experience for any of

these Sailor players.

Long before the Tars (12-0-1) line up to face Sea View League rival

Irvine (10-2-1) for the Division VI crown Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Orange

Coast College, however, veteran Newport Coach Jeff Brinkley will, as

usual, have them fully briefed on what to expect.

“You certainly try to enjoy it,” said Brinkley, the constant in the

program’s finals visits in 1992, ’94 and ’96. Newport’s only other title

game was in 1942. The Sailors won their lone CIF crown in 1994.

“I tell myself to enjoy it, too, because you never know when it’s going

to happen again. We’ve had a pretty good run lately and it’s nice to be

back in the finals again. It’s a great accomplishment for the kids and I

know they’re driven to go out and do well. We’re all looking forward to

Friday night.”

The road to kickoff, however, will be strewn with media, who begin

intensifying their focus on the four Orange County finalists this morning

at 11 o’clock, at the annual Southern Section football press conference

luncheon at the Sequoia Athletic Club in Buena Park.

Captains Billy Clayton, Justin Jacobs, Blair Jones and Mike Tunney, along

with Brinkley, will represent the Sailors at the luncheon.

A fifth captain, Robert Cole, was scheduled to spend Monday at Hoag

Hospital, recovering from surgery to repair a lower right leg which was

broken in Friday’s 49-0 semifinal romp over Kennedy. The 6-foot-5,

325-pound senior offensive tackle, who will likely play collegiately in

the Ivy League, could be released by Tuesday, according to Brinkley, who

believes Cole will be able to attend the championship game.

Those at today’s luncheon will encounter applause, as well as media

inquiries about the rematch (Harbor beat Irvine in the Sea View opener,

12-10, when Newport end Garrett Troncale blocked a 35-yard field-goal

attempt with 4:51 left, Oct. 15 at Newport).

How the Sailors got here is a matter of record.

The school’s 69th edition encountered a minor snag in Week 2 -- a

mistake-filled 21-21 tie with a Marina. But 11 straight wins followed,

the second best winning streak in the history of the program (the 14-0

CIF Division V champions began the 16-game streak which remains the

standard).

The Sailors finished out the regular season with shutouts in two of their

final three games, then matched that feat with playoff victories over El

Dorado (22-0), Villa Park (35-16) and Kennedy.

The Tars have outscored opponents, 423-99, lead the county in scoring

defense (7.6 points per game) and have rolled up nearly 3,700 rushing

yards, believed to be a school record.

Senior tailback Andre Stewart has been the primary ballcarrier,

accumulating a school single-season record 2,235 yards, as well as 25

touchdowns.

Irvine Coach Terry Henigan, who guided the Vaqueros to three straight CIF

titles (1991-93), will likely advise his players to savor the week-long

ride.

Irvine, which defeated Harbor, 30-8, in the 1992 Division IV title game,

shared the league title last fall with eventual Division VI champion

Woodbridge. The Vaqs made the semifinals, but graduated 42 seniors,

including all but one starter.

Irvine survived a rugged schedule which included losses to current

finalists Mater Dei and Newport, a tie against Division X semifinalist

South Torrance, and victories over section semifinalists Newbury Park and

Loara (twice, including last week’s 15-9 verdict).

Irvine handled Santa Ana Valley, 33-6, in the first round, then upset

top-seeded and unbeaten Mayfair, 9-7, before getting past Loara.

Henigan will be joined at today’s luncheon by senior tri-captains James

Whitted, (23 of the receiver’s 54 receptions have come in the

postseason), middle linebacker Mike Patterson and outside

linebacker-tight end Jeff Patty.