Prep column: Kickoff coverage

Barry Faulkner

First impressions first. The high school football season is upon us

and from my perspective, it’s about time.

Coaches like to say their teams improve the most between the first

game and the second game. For sportswriters, however, the biggest burst

of enthusiasm comes after the previews are done, the scrimmage is history

and the weekly anticipation of competition is rewarded every Thursday and

Friday night.

Those initial returns are in and here are some opening-week

observations.

The best impression was made by Costa Mesa senior quarterback A.J.

Perkins. I was unprepared for the passing accuracy and touch he displayed

in the Mustangs’ 39-13 victory over Saddleback Friday.

It’s clear to me now that defensive backs preparing to play the

Mustangs can’t afford to be similarly surprised.

Newport Harbor junior tailback Dartagnan Johnson deserves a mention in

this category, after rushing for 187 yards against Orange Lutheran. Sure,

his offensive line is formidable, but Johnson also made tacklers miss and

showed the tenacity to acquire yards after contact.

The biggest disappointment would be an ankle injury to Newport Harbor

senior two-way starter Brian Gaeta, whose ankle ballooned after he rolled

it while back peddling and is now expected to miss a month.

A second disappointment would be the condition of the Orange Coast

College playing surface. Usually the emerald jewel of what is universally

viewed as one the best high school football facilities in Orange County,

the grass has yellowed and even disappeared in several spots. And,

walking on the field after Friday’s Costa Mesa-Saddleback contest, one

could see more divots than a tee box. In addition, there were areas,

softened by watering, on which one could literally experience a sinking

sensation.

Costa Mesa Coach Dave Perkins said the field condition was “upsetting”

and “very disappointing.”

Perkins also pointed out a pungent odor emanating from the field,

which he said “smelled like Chino.

“Some of my players were actually nauseous,” Perkins said.

Adam Jones, who helps maintain the OCC football field, said the damage

has been done by the OCC football team, which, he said, began practicing

on the stadium field for the first time this fall.

“There isn’t much we can do (with the condition of the grass),” Jones

said. “If you keep watering it while its being used this much, it will

only make it worse.”

Jones theorized the smell was produced by a pile of fertilized grass

clippings left near the ramp to the locker rooms. The pile of grass,

created by regular mowing, is sometimes not removed until Saturday.

Another downer was the absence of game programs with rosters for both

schools at the Costa Mesa-Saddleback and Estancia-Magnolia contests. Mesa

and Estancia, as the host of both games, were responsible for producing

complete programs, an assignment universally handled by boosters. The

Mesa boosters did, at least, supply a Mustang roster to reporters and

Estancia boosters did produce a program with its own team’s roster.

The Corona del Mar program, traditionally one of the most

well-constructed publications in the county, curiously came with a red

cover trimmed in gold. It looked as if the printer got the Sea Kings’

order mixed up with the one from Woodbridge.

Newport-Mesa schools, no doubt, took note of some impressive

first-week scores posted by their competitors in the Pacific Coast and

Sea View leagues.

Estancia was the only PCL representative not to open with a win and

University’s 35-7 trouncing of crosstown rival and defending CIF Southern

Section Division VI champion Irvine indicates the Trojans should make a

run at the league crown they have won or shared the last three seasons.

Northwood’s 35-14 win over Notre Dame of Riverside bolsters the

perception of many who believe the Timberwolves will also be on the PCL

prowl.

In the Sea View, Laguna Hills, Aliso Niguel and Woodbridge were all

winners, outscoring their opponents a combined 93-26.

Friday was not all about beginnings, however, as OCN signed off after

11 years of covering prep football in the county, including

regular-season broadcasts of a Game of the Week. For those who relish

high school sports, especially football, OCN’s contribution will be

missed.

I’ll especially miss the work of Paul Westfall, a Costa Mesa resident

whose on-air insights were always well researched.