Football: MUY MACHO!

Tony Altobelli

GRANADA HILLS - Newport Harbor High’s football team successfully

defended its three-year title at the Southern California Clean and Jerk

Competition at Granada Hills High.

In the eight categories, the Sailors took home five first-place honors in

the eight-school competition, much to the delight of assistant coach and

weightlifting coordinator Mike Bargas.

“Are guys are all pretty disciplined and it the hard work which paid

off,” Bargas said. “Our weight room is always busy with not only football

players, but athletes from all the different sports. We’re never closed.”

Alan Saenz, who was a middle linebacker for the Division VI champion

Sailors last year, defended his title at the 231-pound plus class,

lifting 315 pounds and shattering the old competition record. He won the

class last year with a 265-pound mark.

Another record fell in the under 230-pound class when junior Andy Rankin

lifted 290 pounds, bettering the old mark of 285.

One doesn’t expect a quarterback to be in the category of heavy lifter,

but Sailor QB Chris Manderino broke that stereotype by winning the under

210-pound class with a 275-pound lift.

“You don’t expect to see a quarterback to be able to lift as much as he

can,” Bargas said. “That was very nice to see.”

The Tars were 1-2 in the under 187-class. Leading the way was junior Ryan

Ortega (253 pounds), with sophomore David Marshall as the runner-up (215

pounds).

In the under-125 class, freshman David Christiansen took the top spot

with a 121-pound mark.

Freshman Bobby Jacklin turned in a strong effort in the under-137 class,

taking second with a mark of 160 pounds, while freshman Jimmy Sanchez was

third in the under-154 class with a 210-pound mark.

In the clean and jerk, lifters bring the weight from the ground to their

chest, before pressing it over their head.

“This conditioning not only helps physically, but mentally as well,”

Bargas said. “I think a lot of our success last year came when we wore

down our opposition in the fourth quarter, because of our strength and

stamina.

“In the clean and jerk, you not only have to be strong, but very

coordinated,” Bargas continued. “Success in football is the same thing.

We’ve also been relatively healthy as a result of our weight training and

good coordination.

Newport Harbor will next go muscle to muscle with the top schools in the

area on July 27 at 9 a.m. when they host their own clean and jerk

competition.