A reputation to defend
Barry Faulkner
Sound. Solid. The two words resonate repeatedly from those
discussing the Newport Harbor High football team’s defense.
But two words used by Irvine High Coach Terry Henigan, whose Vaqueros
(10-2-1) meet the Sailors (12-0-1) in the CIF Southern Section Division
VI championship game Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Orange Coast College, provide
a more compelling narrative.
“My golly,” Henigan said of the unit which has yielded an Orange
County-low 99 points.
A defense this good usually has a nickname, a handful of college
prospects, or, perhaps, an eccentric trend-setting coordinator whose
mastery of strategic deployment is matched only by his knack for whipping
his players into a Friday night frenzy.
Instead, head coach Jeff Brinkley and defensive coordinator Evan Chalmers
enlist a disciplined, well-schooled, quick, strong and aggressive unit,
against which foes have produced more punts (17) than points (16) in
three playoff contests.
Though lacking in adjectives, the statistics speak volumes for this
group, which personifies team defense.
*Chalmers’ charges have yielded just 7.6 points per game all season, but
just 3.8 the last six contests, a span which includes four shutouts.
*Opponents have averaged 79 yards rushing, 101 passing and 5.4 punts per
game.
*No opposing ballcarrier has topped the 100-yard mark and only five teams
have hit triple figures. Only Glendora got more than 120 yards on the ground against the Tars.
*Included among the ballcarriers, who had an “off night” against Harbor:
Marina’s Ray Mietkiewicz (just 71 of his 1,871 season rushing yards);
Villa Park’s Marquis Colvin (41 of his 2,132); Kennedy’s Kelvin Beatty
(47 of his 1,192); Aliso Niguel’s Iman Nikzad (66 of his 1,166); Irvine’s Keith Short (36 of his 1,124); Corona del Mar’s Grant Estabrook (77 of
his 1,043); Woodbridge’s Shane Harris (45 of his 893) and El Dorado’s
Nick Zehner (39 of his 850).
*Though the aforementioned rival backs -- all virtual locks to receive at
least all-league honors -- scored a combined 139 touchdowns, only
Mietkiewicz managed a rushing TD against Newport. And even that was
tainted, since it came three plays after Marina returned an interception
to the Sailors’ 1-yard line.
*The first-team defense has surrendered just seven TDs all year, and only
three of those have come on drives of more than 52 yards.
Typically, linebackers top the Tars’ tackle charts. Junior middle ‘backer
Alan Saenz, who at 6-foot-1, 250 pounds is the most physically imposing
defender, has 45 solo tackles, 66 overall. Senior outside ‘backer Mike
Tunney (5-10, 200) also has 66 tackles, including 36 solo stops. Junior
Chris Manderino (6-2, 195), who doubles as the team’s quarterback, rounds
out the corps with 63 total tackles (34 solo).
All three are big hitters, who read quickly and fill with purpose. Both
Saenz and Tunney can charge through would-be blockers, while Manderino is
the most athletic of the group. Manderino returned one of his two
interceptions 78 yards for a TD against Kennedy and he produced a safety
in the playoff opener.
Junior Andy Rankin (29 tackles and two interceptions), comes off the
bench to spell all three starters.
The starting secondary includes three-year starter Billy Clayton and has
produced 14 interceptions. Clayton (6-5, 195) and fellow senior safety
Dayne Pfaff (6-2, 180) share the team lead with five picks apiece, while
senior cornerback Justin Jacobs (6-0, 165) has four. Record-setting
senior tailback Andre Stewart is the other corner.
Pfaff is the fourth-leading tackler (53) and the other three have
combined on 92 stops. Stewart (25 tackles), is the secondary’s biggest
hitter.
Senior safety Kelsey Peterson has started about a dozen games the last
two seasons. He has 32 tackles and two interceptions this fall.
The front four, which averages 6-2, 207, is paced by junior end Garrett
Troncale and senior nose Andy Kalanz. Kalanz, a converted linebacker, has
50 tackles, including seven sacks and one safety. Troncale has 10 sacks
and 16 quarterback hurries to go with his 46 tackles.
Junior tackle Nick Moghaddam (36 tackles) and senior end Nick Langsdorf
(30) each have two sacks.
Seniors Brad Rothwell and Brad Craig have seen significant time in the
trenches. Rothwell, ultra-quick at 5-11, 175, has 31 tackles, nine sacks
and four hurries. Craig’s 17 tackles include four sacks.
“They understand our concepts and play good team defense,” Brinkley said.
“They’re aggressive, they run to the ball and they hit people.”
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