Prep football: Drilling for titles

Barry Faulkner

The high school football season officially kicks off today with the

opening of fall practice. And, while Newport-Mesa District schools won’t

don full gear until Thursday, following the three-day conditioning period

in which players work out in helmets, T-shirts and shorts, Newport

Harbor, Corona del Mar and Costa Mesa begin the first season of the new

millennium with defense -- as in title defense -- on their mind.

For the first time in district history, a trio of squads are coming

off championship seasons, the most noteworthy being Harbor’s CIF Southern

Section Division VI crown.

Coach Jeff Brinkley’s Sailors also captured the Sea View League title

en route to a 13-0-1 record that included a dramatic 19-18 title-game triumph over Sea View rival Irvine to extend the program’s winning streak

to 12 games.

Costa Mesa defeated Pacific Coast League newcomer CdM in the final

game of the regular season to tie the Sea Kings for the league crown.

Estancia nearly added to the title haul, before its hopes for a share

of the PCL spoils and a CIF Division IX playoff berth were dashed by a

season-ending meltdown against University in Week 10.

Typical optimism abounds in all four camps today as CdM Coach Dick

Freeman’s Sea Kings get the early bird when they begin running drills at

7 a.m. CdM will then hold 2 1/2-hour workouts at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Newport Harbor starts it’s all-day-on-campus routine with a 7:30 a.m.

team meeting, followed by a series of workouts and meetings that will

keep the Tars toiling until approximately 7 p.m.

Costa Mesa’s twice-daily workouts begin at 8 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., while

Estancia Coach Dave Perkins opts, once again, for a single marathon

session from 3-8 p.m.

Brinkley, entering his 15th campaign at the school, anticipates

putting 90 players (including junior varsity players) through their paces

today, a record high during his tenure.

Mesa Coach Jerry Howell, entering his six season leading the Mustangs,

will greet between 60-70 players, who have made earning the school’s

first back-to-back league titles one of their primary goals.

Perkins, in his third season at the helm, expects 65 players to strap

it on, while close to 70 players are expected to help Freeman usher in

his sixth season as CdM’s head man.

Newport, which made eight playoff appearances and won two CIF titles

and 92 games in the 1990s, begins preparation for its Sept. 9 opener

against Orange Lutheran. The Sailors will scrimmage at Mission Viejo

Sept. 1 (10 a.m.).

Estancia, with its biggest collection of experienced returners in

years, is scheduled to scrimmage Edison Sept. 1 (6 p.m. at Newport

Harbor), then begin playing for keeps Sept. 7 against Magnolia. The

Eagles were 6-4 a year ago.

Costa Mesa, 8-3 in ‘99, hosts Orange in a Sept. 1 scrimmage at noon.

The Mustangs, with seven trips to the postseason in the ‘90s, open the

regular season Sept. 9 against Saddleback.

CdM, 3-8 last fall, is scheduled to scrimmage against Villa Park and

Pacifica, Sept. 1 at 3 p.m. at El Modena High. The Sea Kings, in the

playoffs seven times in the 1990s, face Cypress in the regular-season

opener Sept. 9.

Coaches are hoping forecasts for cooler temperatures come true, but

all four field leaders outlined plans to combat potentially debilitating

heat and humidity with frequent water breaks.