Prep football: Tars’ table is set

Barry Faulkner

NEWPORT BEACH - While a youthful Ocean View High team is happy to

experience a taste of the CIF Southern Section Division VI football

playoffs, the Seahawks should amount to nothing more than a first-round

appetizer for host Newport Harbor Friday at 7 p.m.

The Seahawks (3-6-1) limped to the finish for first-year coach Sean

Simpson, losing their last three games on the field by a combined margin

of 177-7, though last week’s 92-0 setback against Tustin was reversed by

forfeit.

Still, Simpson said his players were energized when Tustin’s three

league forfeits propelled the Seahawks into the playoffs for the third

straight season.

“After losing, 92-0, no one wanted it to end on that note,” Simpson

said. “I think this will be a blessing, especially for some of our

younger guys. We have 10 seniors, but only about five of them play, so

this gives the rest of our kids a chance to enjoy some success that we

hope will carry over into next season.”

Simpson, however, has no illusions about knocking off the No. 3-seeded

Sailors (8-1-1), who have won their last four first-round playoff

contests and are 10-1 in postseason openers during Coach Jeff Brinkley’s

16-season tenure.

“We’re just hoping to keep it close,” said Simpson, who guides a

program that has lost all four of its previous playoff games (spanning 23

seasons), including a 30-0 first-round setback to eventual Division VI

champion Irvine last year.

Newport Harbor, which outscored Ocean View, 216-19, in nine straight

nonleague wins (1986-94), is also hungry for redemption after dropping a

26-22 verdict to Westchester in the nonleague regular-season finale.

The Sea View League champions, ranked No. 1 in Division VI before last

week’s loss, received no slack from Brinkley in preparation this week.

“I think we’ll be ready to play,” Brinkley said. “I was very

disappointed with our effort last week. I think (the loss) probably woke

some people up.”

The Sailors, ranked No. 6 in Orange County, are attempting to reach

their third straight division title game, their sixth in 10 seasons.The

loss to Westchester was only the second in the program’s last 40 games

against teams not in the Sea View League. It also ended a long unbeaten

streak (20-0-2) in games in which a Harbor running back gained at least

100 rushing yards.

The Sailors’ ground game is keyed by junior tailback Dartangan

Johnson, who has carried 240 times for 1,480 yards and 10 touchdowns.

But Simpson is well aware the Sailors offensive options are not

restricted to a smashmouth approach.

“They throw the ball well and they run the ball with success,” Simpson

said. “They’re disciplined and they don’t make a lot of mistakes.”

Senior quarterback Morgan Craig has thrown with impressive efficiency

this fall, completing 98 of 148 passes (66.2%) for 1,297 yards and 18

TDs. Two of his three interceptions ricocheted off a Newport receiver’s

hands.

Senior Adam Kerns is the Sailors’ leading receiver with 23 catches for

508 yards and 10 TDs and senior Brian Gaeta, who missed nearly seven

games with an ankle injury, had eight receptions last week to up his

season total to 17.

Kerns also has five interceptions for a defense that has allowed the

fewest points in the county (80). Slalwart senior linebackers Cory Ray

and Tyler Miller have also helped the Tars’ compile a plus-20 turnover

ratio.

Ocean View is led by sophomore quarterback Alex Hickerson, who has

thrown for 832 yards and five TDs, but with 14 interceptions.

The visitors’ three-pronged running attack of Andre Valenzuela, Ryan

Morejon and Aaron Gonya has combined for 949 rushing yards and seven TDs,

as well as 33 receptions.

Friday’s winner advances to face the Cerritos-Loara winner in next

week’s quarterfinals.