Newport rolls, 25-24

Tony Altobelli

CATHEDRAL CITY - Chris Manderino rushed for 133 yards and scored

three touchdowns to lead the Newport Harbor High football team to a 35-24

nonleague victory over host Cathedral City Friday night.

The Sailors (7-2), ranked No. 6 in CIF Southern Section Division VI,

scored 21 straight points, turning a 7-6 lead into a 28-6 advantage.

Harbor quarterback Morgan Craig threw for 174 yards, completing 15 of

25 passes with one touchdown to help balance the Sailors’ offensive

attack.

The Sailors withstood a solid Lions passing attack led by Blake

Moorman’s 242 yards and three touchdowns on 11 of 18 passing. Cathedral

City (6-3) made the score more reasonable with two touchdowns in the last

12 seconds of the game.

The Sailors marched down the field on their opening possession going

65 yards on only five plays. Manderino scored on a 10-yard touchdown run

giving Harbor an early 7-0 lead.

Harbor safety David Sprenger helped keep the Sailors in front with a

touchdown-saving tackle on Lion running back Jonathan Laster, who was

tackled at Harbor’s 10-yard line after a 67-yard run.Newport’s defense

kept the Lions off the scoreboard, keeping the Sailors in front. But,

Cathedral City took advantage of a Newport turnover and went on a 48-yard

touchdown drive in seven plays. Moorman connected with Jeff Lambert on a

32-yard touchdown pass cutting the lead to 7-6, three minutes into the

second quarter.

With 54 seconds remaining, Harbor’s Alan Saenz knocked the ball loose

from a Lion running back and Sprenger recovered on Cathedral City’s

10-yard line. Two plays later, Morgan Craig found Mitch Gray on a 4-yard

touchdown pass, extending Newport’s lead to 14-6.

The Sailors nearly increased their lead on the last play of the first

half when Sprenger intercepted a Lions pass and returned it 77 yards but

was stopped just short of the goal line by Moorman.