Shadowlands

Looking back, 5 years ago this week.

The Newport Harbor High football team notches its fifth straight

victory with a 39-15 win over Savanna. “This is the best preseason we’ve

had,” Sailors’ Coach Jeff Brinkley says. Senior Danny Pulido scores two

touchdowns and finishes with seven catches for 83 yards. Ray Ohrel scores

three touchdowns, including a 72-yard punt return to give the Tars an

early 7-0 edge. Ohrel runs for 139 yards and two touchdowns on 24

carries. In Newport’s first five games of the season, the Tars outscore

opponents, 221-49.

The Estancia football team also opens its season by building a 5-0

record after stopping Katella, 44-23. The Eagles score on five of their

first six possessions to build a 30-7 halftime lead and end up amassing

499 rushing yards. Junior wingback James Dawkins rushes for 224 yards and

a touchdown on 18 carries, while senior Chris Felix adds 186 more and

three touchdowns on 15 attempts. Estancia’s 5-0 record includes

outscoring opponents, 204-65.

Orange Coast College’s Jake French scores two of his four goals in the

fourth quarter to lead the Pirates to a 9-8 victory over Orange Empire

Conference rival Saddleback. The Pirates, who win their sixth straight

game, trail 5-3 at the half and OCC Coach Chris Oeding is not happy about

it. “We came out flat and let them dictate the tempo.,” he says. “I let

them know about it at the half.” By the opening minutes of the fourth

quarter, the two teams are tied, 7-7, setting the stage for French’s two

goals, the last coming with 2:16 left. Corona del Mar product Mike Bise

scores two goals for the Pirates to help in the win.

The Costa Mesa football team romps past Calvary Chapel, 47-6. The

Mustangs race to a 26-0 halftime lead and never look back. Vince Hamade,

who rushes for 138 yards on nine carries, scores four touchdowns on runs

of 48, 22, 17 and a 17-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Dan

Baume. Mesa’s defense holds Calvary Chapel to just 56 yards of offense

and two first downs in the first half. Defensive back Ronnie Lievanos

intercepts a pass and returns it 81 yards to set up a 4-yard touchdown by

Brandon Jones.

Looking back, 10 years ago this week.

After dropping its first game, the Corona del Mar High girls

volleyball teams wake up for a 5-15, 15-10, 15-5, 15-9 victory over Back

Bay rival Newport Harbor. CdM, the defending state Division I champion,

deal the Sailors nine service aces, including three by Caren McKinley,

who amasses 24 assists as the team’s setter. Jennifer Stroffe leads the

Sea Kings with 14 kills, while Charmayne Conley has 12 and Allison

Englebrecht adds nine. For Newport, Maureen McLaren leads all players

with 19 kills, while Tara Kroesch adds nine.

The Orange Coast College football team comes away with a 48-12 blowout

victory over visiting Grossmont, and Pirates Coach Bill Workman says, “We

held a lot back.” In their first three games, the Bucs outscore

opponents, 109-27. OCC scores four touchdowns in the second quarter to

take a 34-6 lead into halftime. Tailback Adrain Steen ties a school

record with four touchdowns and he runs for 107 yards on just eight

carries.

The Corona del Mar football team surprises Costa Mesa, 17-14, as the

Sea Kings score twice in the last 100 seconds of the first half,

including a 37-yard field goal by Tom Hess with no time remaining. Hess

also rushes for 76 yards and a 1-yard touchdown on 17 carries. “We just

can’t seem to beat them,” says a beleaguered Costa Mesa Coach Tom

Baldwin. The Mustangs’ premier running back, Johnny Ospina, suffers a

hamstring injury early in the first quarter and misses the rest of the

game.

The Estancia girls volleyball team sweeps its crosstown rival Costa

Mesa, 15-7, 15-12, 15-7. The Eagles’ Taylia Smallcomb sparks Estancia

with 25 assists and six digs. “She was everywhere today,” Estancia Coach

Tom Pestolesi says. “It was her best match of the year.” The Eagles earn

the win with a key Game 2 victory. After letting a 10-4 advantage slip

away, Estancia fall behind 12-11, before notching the last four points to

win.

-- compiled by Steve Virgen