Prep football: Sailors No. 3 seed

Barry Faulkner

CERRITOS - Already mildly miffed by what he termed a subpar effort

by his team in Friday’s 26-22 regular-season-ending nonleague loss to

Westchester, the mood of Newport Harbor High football coach Jeff Brinkley

was not buoyed by the events surrounding the Sailors’ CIF Southern

Section Division VI playoff draw, announced Sunday at the section office.

And while a first-round matchup with Ocean View (3-6-1) would put a

smirk on the face of most coaches, dropping from the No. 1 seed to the

No. 3 seed, as well as some unsettling rumors about a potential legal

protest by snubbed Golden West League power Tustin, had Brinkley grousing

to his assistants.

“It seemed odd to me to go from No. 1 to No. 3 after losing a

nonleague game to a good team (Westchester’s only loss this season was to

Long Beach Poly and the Comets are the No. 4 seed in the Los Angeles City

Section playoffs), after we’d already wrapped up the (Sea View League)

championship,” Brinkley said.

The primary reason for his displeasure, however, is a scenario that

could unfold if Tustin can generate sympathy for an appeal, after the use

of an ineligible player forced the Tillers to forfeit three league wins.

The forfeits, announced Friday, denied Tustin one of the league’s three

guaranteed playoff berths and left the team ranked No. 3 in last week’s

Division VI poll, short of the wins necessary to apply for an at-large

berth. If Tustin is reinstated, it could take Ocean View’s spot, setting

up a heavyweight first-round matchup against Newport Harbor (8-1-1).

Tustin Principal Larry Carlson did not return a phone call to his home

Sunday night and Tillers Coach Myron Miller, a former Costa Mesa High

coach, could not be reached for comment.

But CIF Southern Section Commissioner Jim Staunton said a meeting of

Golden West League officials was scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, at

which time a challenge to a league rule would be brought by Tustin, or

parents representing the Tustin program.

If Tustin’s league appeal is denied, an attempt to reinstate the

Tillers into the playoffs could proceed to the courts.

Staunton said any potential Tustin reinstatement would need to occur

this week, because the game “must occur” to insure the timely

continuation of the Division VI playoffs.

Saddleback Athletic Director Jerry Witte said league principals voted

by phone Friday night to send Westminster, Saddleback and Ocean View to

the playoffs as its league representatives.

Brinkley declined to comment on any potential change in the bracket

and said he and his staff will focus preparation solely on Ocean View.

Ocean View lost to Tustin, 92-0, Thursday, before the Tillers were

forced to forfeit the victory, as well as a 78-7 win over Saddleback and

a 58-14 triumph over Santa Ana.

Century League champion El Modena (8-1 with eight straight wins),

claimed the No. 1 seed. Foothill (9-1) is the No. 2 seed, while Mayfair

(7-3), which won a coin flip with fellow Suburban League tri-champions La

Mirada and Cerritos, is seeded No. 4.

Newport Harbor, attempting to reach its third straight Division VI

title game and become the 10th straight Sea View League champion to win

the division crown, would likely face Cerritos (8-1) in the Nov. 23

quarterfinals. Foothill, which will join Harbor in the Sea View beginning

next fall, is the projected foe, should Harbor advance to the Dec. 1

semifinals.

Newport is scheduled to host Ocean View Friday at 7:30 p.m.

“I think we’ll be ready to play,” said Brinkley, who was disappointed

with the intensity his players displayed against Westchester.

“Having the league title wrapped up and playing a team our kids knew

very little about, we anticipated coming out a little flat,” Brinkley

said. “Sometimes its hard to convince (players) the importance of coming

out strong, but it’s my job to motivate them. Obviously, I didn’t do a

very good job, because we played pretty uninspired football and we lacked

concentration in a lot of areas.”

Senior two-way lineman Bryan Breland suffered a broken left fibula and

underwent surgery Saturday to insert a plate and some screws. He is lost

for the season.