Prep column: Breland generates smiles amid tears

Barry Faulkner

A Newport-Mesa football season packed with emotion, surrounding

tragedies on the field and even across the continent, was, once again,

interrupted by eerie silence Friday night at Newport Harbor High.

Senior two-way starter Bryan Breland failed to get up after a pileup

in the trenches left him with a broken left fibula near the end of the

third quarter. While the severity of the injury was not immediately

known, it soon became apparent, as teammates Robert Chai, Morgan Craig

and Brian Gaeta went to Breland’s side to comfort him amid medical

personnel.

Gaeta who had lifted his helmet halfway off his head, could be seen

walking away from the scene in tears and when Breland was carted off the

field, to an ovation from some 3,000 in attendance, it was clear the

popular offensive guard and defensive end’s season was over.

Lying in pain, Breland reportedly asked for offensive line coach Zach

Biehl, to whom he immediately apologized for having pulled too slowly on

the ill-fated play.

For those who heard the apology, it prompted a smile, which, for many,

diverted tears around the upturned corners of the grin. Grinning is a

frequent consequence to interactions with the 6-foot-2, 245-pound teddy

bear, whom Biehl aptly terms “a sweet kid.”

I’ve been fortunate to have had several of those interactions and

there are few kids for whom I wish as much success.

Breland had surgery Saturday to insert a plate and some screws into

the leg and Biehl said doctors have indicated he’ll be able to play

again, if, as expected, a collegiate opportunity is extended.

Breland said Sunday he would not only be in attendance at Friday’s CIF

Southern Section Division VI first-round playoff game against Ocean View,

but that he planned to pop in on his teammates this week at practice.

Indeed, the best remedy to the absence of Breland in the Sailors’

postseason lineup, might be his continued upbeat presence among his

teammates.

Breland’s injury immediately brought to mind a broken leg sustained by

senior tackle Robert Cole in the 1999 playoffs. Cole, who suffered a

compound fracture of both bones in his lower leg, watched from a

wheelchair as the Sailors defeated Irvine for the CIF Division VI crown

at OCC the following week.

The injury, however, has prevented Cole from continuing his football

career at Brown University.

In addition to Corona del Mar High and Estancia, the football season

has come to an end at Sage Hill, where Coach Tom Monarch reports

significant progress from last year’s inaugural campaign.

The Lightning, 0-8 last season while playing freshman and sophomore

teams, won five of its last six to finish 7-2 against junior varsity

competition this fall.

Sage Hill defeated St. Margaret’s, 34-0, Capistrano Valley Christian,

28-6, Western Christian, 46-6, Brethren Christian, 41-6, and Calvary Chapel of Downey, 42-0. Its only losses came to Saddleback Valley

Christian, 6-0, and Fairmont, 13-7.

“The way we progressed from last year was really quite impressive,”

Monarch said. “It was a lot of fun for the coaches to see a team go from

not knowing what a line of scrimmage was to a team that in one year was

clobbering some opponents. I’ve been an assistant coach on championship

teams at other schools, but I think I’ve been more gratified winning

these games this year.”

Monarch said season stats were not available, but he credited the play

of quarterback Zack Friedrichs, one of only four impact juniors, as well

as junior fullback Cliff Swanson, junior tight end Scott Cho, sophomore

wide receiver Eddie Huang and sophomore tailback Ray Lim.

Defensively, Monarch said middle linebacker Swanson, safety

Friedrichs, freshman outside ‘backer Stephen Hancock, nose guard Cho and

sophomore defensive end Marcel Sohl were the catalysts.

Sage Hill is scheduled to play a varsity schedule next year in the

Academy League, but Monarch said the school may attempt to play as a

free-lance school at least one more year. The decision is expected soon.