Prep football, Bravehearts, Newport defensive backs: Secondary

education

By midterm, the Newport Harbor High secondary had passing marks

when it came to pass coverage. But, in order for the Sailors’ football

team to get where it is -- the CIF Southern Section Division VI final

Friday against Irvine -- higher marks were required.

Luckily, the secondary’s private tutor, defensive coordinator Evan

Chalmers, was there to speed up the learning curve.

“Evan is a great teacher on the practice field and he’s done an

excellent job with those guys,” Newport Coach Jeff Brinkley said. “It’s a

group that was very inexperienced. But, as the season has gone along,

they’ve developed some confidence. They’re playing really well right

now.”

Just in time, as it turned out, as the Sailors encountered

high-powered aerial attacks the last two weeks.

First, corners Brian Gaeta and Ryan Spruth, as well as safeties Dane

Barton and David Sprenger, helped limit Kennedy quarterback Geoff

Etherson to 84 passing yards, 60 fewer than his career average. Working

against a blanket zone, which included outside linebackers Chris

Manderino and Andy Rankin, Etherson, who finished his varsity career with

3,544 yards and 25 touchdowns passing, completed just 13 of 26. He threw

two interceptions, without a TD, in the Tars’ 49-10 quarterfinal victory.

The challenge got steeper for the Harbor patrol in Saturday’s

semifinal against top-seeded La Mirada and heralded senior signal caller

Erik Meyer. Meyer came in with 2,788 yards and 37 TDs in 12 games as a

varsity starter.

But, with principles similar to those used against Kennedy, the Sailor

secondary held him to 188 yards (44 below his average). Further, Meyer’s

one TD toss was one-third his average and Gaeta’s second-quarter

interception was only the fourth Meyer had thrown. Harbor won, 35-16.

“None of these guys started last year and Gaeta (a team-high six

interceptions) had never played any secondary at all, until this year,”

Chalmers said. “But they’ve worked very hard to improve and they really

have an idea what they’re doing. They don’t fear anyone, now, when there

had been games they played a little tentatively.”

Chalmers said Gaeta, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound junior, succeeds with

athleticism and a competitive mind-set.

Spruth (5-9, 162), a senior, is the most experienced, having played

corner all four years in the program, as well as in Jr. All-American

before that. He has two interceptions.

“He doesn’t have incredible skills, be he knows his job and he’s

always where he has to be,” Chalmers said.

Spruth and Gaeta have also provided sure tackling on run support.

Barton (6-0, 160) is the best hitter in the group and, assigned to the

wide side of the formation, the senior is asked to cover more ground.

“He’s a good striker in the open field and his timing to the ball has

been very good,” Chalmers said. “He also is doing a good job of calling

coverages for us.”

Sprenger (6-2, 172) is a junior who has improved the most in the

group, according to Chalmers. He is second on the team with three

interceptions.