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.”