Sailors dominate, again

Roger Carlson

NEWPORT BEACH - There isn’t a whole lot of confusion over the

formula Newport Harbor High’s football team has been using these past 14

years under Coach Jeff Brinkley, which has led to two CIF championships

and a 117-50-1 overall record. Think Nebraska.

Once again the Sailors reign as weightlifting kingpins during summer

work following Friday’s domination of four very strong high school

football programs - Huntington Beach, Esperanza, Loara and Tustin, at

Newport’s annual summer weightlifting invitational.

“I was really pleased with everyone’s work,” said Newport Harbor

strength coach Mike Bargas, a figure on the Sailors’ campus since his

playing days (86-89) and as an assistant coach under Brinkley.

“Every year we try to outdo the year before,” said Bargas, and

Friday’s efforts appear to have continued the flow.

Five of eight catergories were won by Sailors, led by the

record-breaking lift of Alan Saenz, a blue chip 253-pound senior middle

linebacker with Division I potential.

The 6-foot-2 Saenz, competing in the heavyweight division, clean and

jerked 308 pounds as a tuneup, then on his first attempt at 320 pounds,

“crushed it,” according to Bargas.

Also with winning efforts from Newport Harbor were senior

quarterback-linebacker Chris Manderino in the 210-and-under division (a

286-pound lift), senior running back Ryan Ortega in the 187-and-under

(275 pounds), senior defensive back Ryan Spruth in the 154-and-under (231

pounds), and senior receiver Chris Bargas in the 137-and-under (176

pounds).

Others with outstanding second-place efforts for the Sailors were

123-and-under sophomore David Christiansen (128 pounds) and 137-and-under

sophomore Bobby Jacklin (165 pounds).

With third-place efforts were 123-and-under sophomore John Rogers (123

pounds), 170-and-under senior defensive back Dane Barton (220 pounds) and

187-and-under senior running back David Marshall (242 pounds).

Friday’s lifting, combined with some passing league work, was the end

of Harbor’s summer session, with four weeks left before the opening of

fall drills Aug. 21.

“They’re off now,” said Bargas of the Sailors’ squad, “but the

weightroom remains open,” he hastened to add.