Prep football: One banner night

Barry Faulkner

WESTMINSTER - In this time of supreme patriotism, it was the

football team for which Stars & Stripes is not only a symbol, but a

helmet logo, that appeared to recapture some old glory Saturday night.

“Maybe it was fitting the team with the flag on its helmets won

tonight,” said Newport Harbor High Coach Jeff Brinkley, after his

Sailors’ banner 28-0 nonleague triumph over Marina at Westminster High.

It was the first win of the young season for the Sailors, who tied

Orange Lutheran last week. It was also the first win over Marina in three

years, after tying in 1999 and losing last fall.

“It feels good to get that first win this year,” said Newport senior

quarterback Morgan Craig, whose four touchdown passes were a career high

and the most in recent single-game memory for a Harbor signal caller.

“Especially against Marina. We’ve developed a little rivalry against

those guys and this was the first time I’ve beaten them in three varsity

seasons.”

Craig’s passing efficiency, he completed 12 of 14 to six different

receivers for 135 yards without an interception, was only part of the

success story for the Sailors.

Junior tailback Dartangan Johnson dashed for 208 yards on 26 carries,

144 of which came in the first half.

And, not so insignificant, was the play of the Harbor defense. Playing

without one returning starter from last season, the Tars allowed Marina’s

deepest penetration to the Harbor 25-yard line, late in the final period.

Marina, which scored 40 points in a season-opening win over Paramount,

ran 13 offensive plays in Sailor territory and never came close to

scoring.

“We had extra time to prepare, when the game was rescheduled (from

Thursday to Saturday, due to the terrorist attacks on the East Coast

Tuesday),” Newport outside linebacker Tyler Miller said. “Marina put it

to us early, but we earned (the shutout).”

Marina, operating in the veer, managed just 49 yards on the ground, as

the Sailors stuffed nine of their 24 rushing attempts for negative yards.

Eight more Marina plays picked up 3 yards or less and the Vikings’

biggest ground gain (19 yards) came on the third play of the game.

With a slightly altered offensive line of tackles Robert Chai and John

Debrott, guards Bryan Breland and Chris Badorek, center Jeff Marshall and

tight end Joe Foley muscling Marina’s defense, Johnson and Craig had room

to operate.

Johnson produced 70 yards during Harbor’s second-quarter touchdown

drives of 76 and 69 yards, respectively. The first scoring march, which

took 11 plays, was capped when Craig hit Matt Casserly on a 3-yard

play-action pass with 5:07 left before the half.

After Johnson bolted 45 yards on the first play following one of

Marina’s six punts, the Tars needed just three more plays to double the

lead. Craig hit senior Adam Kerns on a post for 19 yards and a touchdown

with 2:14 left in the second quarter, then Kerns drilled the second of

his four conversion kicks to make it 14-0.

Johnson broke 38 yards to Marina’s 31 the second play after the

second-half kickoff and finished with 55 yards on the nine-play, 80-yard

drive that made it 21-0.

Mike McDonald caught an 8-yard slant and twisted into the end zone to

put a smile on Brinkley’s face.

“We had some long drives tonight,” Brinkley said. “I especially liked

the 80-yard drive to start the third quarter.”

After Kerns fair caught a Marina punt on the Vikings’ 48, he combined

with Craig on the most exciting touchdown of the game.

Craig, flushed from the pocket, scrambled to his left to buy enough

time to find Kerns along the same sideline.

Kerns fielded the ball, then cut across the field and outran the

pursuit to the opposite corner of the end zone for some serious icing.

Kerns finished with two catches for 67 yards, both for TDs, while

McDonald and fullback David Marshall added three receptions each.

Sophomore Warren Junowich, making his first start at safety, made a

diving interception, while junior cornerback Bryce Sawyer returned an

interception 60 yards late in the game to secure the shutout, Harbor’s

first in 18 games.

Miller, middle linebacker Cory Ray and senior defensive tackle Scott

Kohan, were constant defensive stalwarts for the winners, who will, for

another year at least, not be haunted by the horns that adorn Marina

helmets.