Daily Pilot Football Player of the Week, Chris Manderino: No

substitution for success.

Barry Faulkner

Elbows ballooning, legs cramping, knee throbbing, lungs burning and

ribs aching, Chris Manderino finally shuffled out of the offensive huddle

toward the sideline with just more than four minutes left in the third

quarter Friday night. With the Sailors leading, 28-0, over cross-town

rival Corona del Mar, which would eventually succumb, 35-7, it was Coach

Jeff Brinkley’s decision.

For, left to his own discretion, the Newport Harbor High football

standout would never relent to anything but a direct order.

Well, most orders, anyway.

“Coach has told me if I’m tired, to tell him, so he can give me a few

plays off,” Manderino said. “But I’m able to recuperate a little on

special teams, so the rest of the time, I just want to tough it out.”

This is extremely bad news for future Newport Harbor opponents, who

will have plenty to tough out while the 6-foot-1, 205-pound

tailback-outside linebacker pounds away with abandon on both sides of the

ball.

That pounding, which increased exponentially with his recent move from

quarterback to tailback, takes a physical toll on Manderino, as well. His

32 carries against CdM, his first complete game as the featured

ballcarrier, rendered more than 226 yards and three touchdowns. They also

left Manderino bruised, exhausted and determined to prepare himself

better for life at the bottom of the pile.

“I felt a whole new level of soreness waking up Saturday,” the Daily

Pilot Player of the Week said. “I might put more padding on my arms and I

think I might have to push myself even more in conditioning during the

week.”

After quarterbacking the junior varsity to a 9-0-1 season as a

sophomore, Manderino helped lead the Sailors to a CIF Southern Section

Division VI title and a 13-0-1 record last fall. He was named Daily Pilot

Sea View League MVP and was the All-Newport-Mesa District quarterback. On

defense, his 71 tackles were three shy of the team lead and he had two

interceptions, returning one for a TD.

He opened this fall under center, but was shifted midway through the

second game, and now figures to join Harbor’s growing list of 1,000-yard

rushers.

Manderino, who played tailback as a freshman, said he was happy to do

whatever was asked, and won’t miss calling signals if it helps the Tars

stockpile wins.

“I’m starting to get the hang of (running the ball) again,” Manderino

said. “I think I’ll be able to learn as I go, make better reads and

improve. The thing I learned most (Friday) was how tiring it can be.”

Brinkley said Manderino appeared comfortable in his new role and he’ll

become more accustomed to the wear and tear.

“He’s a warrior and he plays hard,” Brinkley said. “He’s tough and he

finishes his runs, which also takes a toll on a defense. When you have a

runner like that, it’s not as inviting for the safeties to come up and

try to make tackles.”

And though he’s a power runner, Brinkley said Manderino can also make

tacklers miss.

“The great running backs have great vision, the ability to see the

field and make cuts. Chris has shown that already.”

The move definitely won’t help the bursa sacks (fluid-filled tissue

which cushions friction in the joint) he broke in both elbows last

season. He aggravates the injury each time his elbows get banged --

virtually every play. The resulting inflammation makes it appear as if

Manderino is wearing elbow pads, even when he isn’t.

And, even though he’ll be hit more on offense, Manderino said the

absence of the mental load Brinkley requires of his quarterbacks (calling

audibles and reading secondaries), will allow him an easier transition to

defense, where he can deliver some of the punishment he now takes.

“I probably like defense, because I like hitting people better than I

like getting hit,” he said.

Manderino, positioned on the wide side of the field against opposing

offenses, usually takes a head of steam into his tackles/collisions. The

results can make mothers wince.

One could fill a highlight reel with Manderino’s big defensive hits

thus far and he even mixed in an interception against CdM, setting up the

Tars’ third touchdown.

College recruiters -- he’s receiving interest from schools in the

Pac-10 and the Ivy League -- project his future at strong safety or

possibly outside linebacker if he can pack on some muscle.

For now, he’ll be content to exhaust the muscles he has, all in the

line of duty.