Prep football: Turning the dial

Barry Faulkner

NEWPORT BEACH - The Newport Harbor High football team’s first

attempt to dial it up against scrimmage visitor Mission Viejo Friday,

revealed a Sailor offense that is already dialed in.

Junior tailback Dartangan Johnson ran with purpose and poise,

returning senior quarterback Morgan Craig was efficient and productive

with his passes, left tackle Robert Chai may have blocked his overmatched

opponent right out of a starting job and junior backup quarterback Mike

McDonald showed he may have found a home on the other end of the spiral.

And while the defense also had its bright spots, including two

quarterback sacks and a third tackle behind the line by junior end David

Marshall, as well as strong play by the secondary, there is more work to

be done on that side of the ball in preparation for Thursday’s season

opener against Orange Lutheran at Brea Olinda High.

“We saw some good things and some areas we need to improve,” said

Newport Harbor Coach Jeff Brinkley, who noted stopping the run would be

the foremost among the latter. “But this was some good work for us.

Mission Viejo is a good football team and I think they’ll be picked to

win (the South Coast League).”

In addition to three turnovers, another Newport lowlight was a

sprained lower left leg sustained by probable senior two-way starter Jon

Vandersloot. Vandersloot was hurt early in the third of 10 10-play series

and did not return, but said later he planned to be ready for Orange

Lutheran.

In addition, senior two-way starter Brian Gaeta, still battling

tendinitis in both knees after offseason surgery to relieve the problem,

was held out for precautionary reasons. Junior guard A.J. Slater did not

play due to a back problem that may sideline him for the opener, while

senior guard Bryan Breland, expected to play some at defensive end, was

limited to offensive duty due to a sore wrist.

Craig completed 10 of 17 for 124 yards and the only touchdown with the

first string on the field. Two other completions were negated by

penalties and the majority of his incompletions went through a receiver’s

hands.

He lofted a 20-yard strike to McDonald in the front corner of the end

zone for the first of two Sailor touchdowns.

Sophomore tailback Matt Encinias raced off tackle and bounced outside

for a 30-yard scoring run on the first series with the second unit for

Harbor’s other TD.

Mission Viejo scored only once, a 30-yard run against Harbor’s

second-team defense.

The controlled format, contested primarily from midfield, featured

several down-and-distance scenarios, with each play starting from the

previous spot. Each team also ran plays from the opponents’ 20-yard line,

the 10 and a goal-line series from the 3.

Johnson rushed for 54 yards on 10 carries, including runs of 12, 11

and 12 yards, and also raced 19 yards with his only reception. He clearly

solidified his status as the winner of a three-man battle for the

starting job.

“I thought (Johnson) was all we hoped for,” Brinkley said. “Once we

saw what he could do, we got him out of there.”

McDonald, who completed 3 of 5 passes, had five catches for 82 yards

and the aforementioned TD.

“Obviously Mike showed he could play receiver,” Brinkley said of

McDonald, who also blocked a field-goal attempt and played well in the

secondary. He did throw one interception.

In addition to Marshall’s play on defense, senior end Jim Rothwell

made two tackles behind the line and strung out a sweep, which allowed

cornerback Adam Kerns to make the stop for a 1-yard loss.

Kerns also made a near-interception and was joined by secondary mates

Nick Iverson, Lu Castillo, Brian Campos, Jordan Smith, Bryce Sawyer and

Ben Soza in posting a strong showing.

Two Diablo quarterbacks completed just 5 of 15 passes for 60 yards.

The visitors, however, led by senior returning All-Orange County back

Robbie Dubois, who amassed nearly 2,400 rushing yards last fall, averaged

3.5 yards on 26 running plays against the first-team defense, including

six gains of between 8 and 17 yards.

Outside linebacker Tyler Miller deflected a pass at the line and

middle linebacker Cory Ray made two strong stops on the goal line,

including one for a 2-yard loss.

A big hit on the goal line also forced a Mission Viejo back to fumble,

but the Diablos recovered.

Kerns also kicked a 26-yard field goal and punted three times for a

31-yard average.