Prep column: Giving belated thanks

Barry Faulkner

Granted, I’m a few days behind. But there are few high school

sports beats in North America for which to be more thankful than the

Mother lode that is Newport-Mesa.

As former Buffalo Bills Coach Marv Levy once said: “Where else would

you rather be than right here, right now?”

After the events of the last nine days, local sports fans untouched by

a serious outbreak of “CIF title-itis” are, no doubt, hopelessly immune.

Beginning with the Nov. 18 Southern Section cross country

championships, seemingly every time one turned around last week, a

Newport-Mesa school was collecting section or state hardware, adding to

the district’s ample existing booty of championship and runner-up

plaques.

Chronologically, Corona del Mar High girls cross country (Division IV,

Saturday), CdM girls tennis (Division IV, Monday), CdM boys water polo

(Division II, Wednesday afternoon) and Newport Harbor boys water polo

(Division I, Wednesday night) earned section championships. Additionally,

CdM girls cross country defended its CIF State title in Division IV

Saturday in Fresno.

The Newport Harbor football team, after a convincing Division VI

quarterfinal romp Friday, is still alive in pursuit of back-to-back

section crowns, while Newport Harbor girls tennis and Newport field

hockey took their respective seasons as far as they could, to the

championship final.

CdM girls volleyball advanced to the section semifinals, while teams

and individuals representing Newport Harbor and Estancia also

distinguished themselves at the section and state cross country meets.

The one state title and four section crowns earned by local teams were

the most in one fall since, well, last year, when Newport-Mesa schools

added two state championships to their four section titles.

Even though all the turkey and stuffing may be history, it’s not too

late to deliver gratitude for the continual heaping helpings of athletic

success the local schools pile on this journalistic plate.

On the subject of appreciating rare athletic feats, Newport Harbor

junior Aaron Peirsol, the silver medalist in the 200-meter backstroke at

the Sydney Summer Olympics, will be honored with a parade and a party, as

part of Newport Beach officially proclaiming Saturday “Aaron Peirsol

Day.”

The Parade, which will include the Sailors’ band and CIF water polo

champions, is scheduled to begin at 11:30 and proceed from Main Street,

up the Balboa Peninsula, to the American Legion Hall on 15th Street, for a post-parade party.

The Newport Harbor football team’s route to a second straight section

crown must go through top-seeded La Mirada, which visits Saturday at 7

p.m.

Newport Coach Jeff Brinkley is familiar with the Matadores, having

coached against them for years at Suburban League rival Norwalk, before

coming to Harbor.

La Mirada (12-0) has outscored opponents, 593-204, this fall,

including 93-16 in the playoffs.

The Matadores feature senior quarterback Erik Meyer (2,801 passing

yards and 40 touchdown passes this season). Meyer’s mobility is also a

concern for Brinkley, but nothing like the moves he shows off the field.

Meyer, now 32-0 as a starting prep signal caller (including the 1997

freshman and ’98 junior varsity teams), works for La Mirada-based Monoa

Loa Polynesian Dancing, co-owned by his mother, Nancy Meyer.

The younger Meyer plays the Toere drums (similar to bongos) and also

dances in the performances, typically held during weddings, carnivals and

birthday parties.

Newport Harbor’s Matt Encinias, who returned two kickoffs for 51 yards

in the 49-10 win over Kennedy Friday, is the first freshman to play

varsity football during Brinkley’s 15-year tenure at the school.

“I knew he could move from having watched him over the summer and at

some freshman games this season,” Brinkley said. “He can make guys miss

and you can never have too many skill guys like that.”

Brinkley added, Encinias, the freshman team’s tailback this fall, “has

a chance to be on the field for us somewhere next year.”

Newport football fans are advised to arrive early to ensure getting a

seat Saturday. La Mirada, with one of the best fan followings west of the

Inland Empire, is likely to fill up the visitors’ side quickly, then look

for room on the more-spacious home side.

La Mirada officials encouraged Harbor to move the game to a stadium

with a bigger seating capacity than Davidson Field (5,000), but the

Sailors declined.