Battle of the Bay

Barry Faulkner

In what has become a rarity in the recent history of this storied

high school football rivalry, the 41st edition of the Battle of the

Bay, between crosstown rivals Corona del Mar and Newport Harbor,

kicks off Friday at 7 p.m. with both teams virtually on an even keel.

“We don’t feel like we’re battling someone gargantuan,” said CdM

Coach Dick Freeman, whose Sea Kings enter the Sailors’ home field

with a better record (2-0) and the No. 4 ranking in CIF Southern

Section Division IX. “This one is going to come down to who wants the

thing. It’s heart now, so we’re in this thing.”

CdM has struggled to compete of late with its coastal neighbor, as

the Sailors have won three straight, seven of the last eight and lead

the series, 28-12. Since CdM earned a 23-0 triumph in 1993, the Tars

have outscored the Sea Kings, 246-82, including 117-17 the last three

years.

In winning last year, 47-7, Newport produced the second highest

point total of any team in this rivalry and its 40-point margin of

victory was also second-most in the series, both trailing Harbor’s

55-6 victory in 1996.

Newport’s domination last fall sidelined two CdM players with

broken bones and two more with injuries that cut into their playing

time for weeks to come.

“We get (parents) coming in with seventh- and eighth-grade

students asking (football coaches) ‘Why don’t you ever beat Harbor?’

” Freeman said. “But we have beaten them. There was one stretch where

we won four in a row (1985-88). Realistically, they have about twice

as many students as we do.”

Newport (1-1), is ranked No. 3 this week after its bounce-back

23-14 triumph over Marina Friday. The Tars lost their opener, 16-8,

at Trabuco Hills.

Further, when this year’s seniors were freshmen, CdM prevailed,

20-6, dominating to a greater degree than the score indicated.

Still, Coach Jeff Brinkley’s Newport squad enters as a slim

favorite.

“Corona has been playing real well,” said Brinkley, who typically

helps to diminish the hype that annually fills 5,000-seat Davidson

Field beyond capacity (last year’s game drew an estimated 7,000 at

Orange Coast College). “This is a senior group they’ve been waiting

for and those guys have played well.”

The tale of the tape justifies CdM’s optimism. The Sea Kings’

defensive front eight surrendered an average of 51 pounds per man to

the Tars’ offensive line last year. And while the Sea Kings are 42

pounds lighter in the same comparison this season, CdM’s offensive

line holds a 23-pound edge over Newport’s defensive front seven.

“Small teams beat big teams all the time,” Freeman said. “We can’t

be worried about that. If we execute and the ball is rolling our way,

we’re going to be in every game.”

A big part of CdM’s offensive game has been senior tailback Mark

Cianciulli, who has produced 295 rushing yards and four touchdowns on

53 carries this fall. Cianciulli has also had two receptions for 54

yards and a TD.

But Freeman said Cianciulli has a sore ankle and will not start.

Senior Keith Long (86 yards on 12 carries this season) will start at

tailback.

Freeman has lamented his team’s lack of efficiency through the

air, but senior quarterback Jonathan Hubbard has completed 10 of 18

for 113 yards and three TDs, with just one interception.

Newport’s offense, typically driven by a methodically effective

ground game, has seen most of its production come through the air

this fall.

Senior quarterback Michael McDonald completed 18 of 23 against Marina and is 26 of 48 for 349 yards and two TDs this season. He has

thrown two interceptions.

Senior tailback Dartangan Johnson, who entered the season needing

just fewer than 700 yards to become the 72-year-old program’s career

rushing leader, has netted just 81 yards on 25 carries this fall.

Sophomore Spencer Link leads the Newport receiving corps with 10

catches for 159 yards and two TDs. Senior Mike Toole has six catches

for 82 yards.

CdM’s top pass catcher has been sophomore Kevin Welch, who has

turned two of his three receptions into TDs.

The Sea Kings are keyed defensively by inside linebacker Matt

Cooper, tackle Jayson Skalla and end John Daley, all seniors who

earned all-league recognition last fall.

Senior safety K.C. Rawlins made 17 tackles against Harbor last

year and anchors a secondary expected to be without sophomore corner

Wess Presson (concussion).

Junior Daniel Marin-Finn, a Mater Dei transfer, starts in

Presson’s place.

Newport’s defense showed great improvement between Weeks 1 and 2,

a fact not lost on Freeman.

“Watching them (against Marina), you said ‘That’s Newport’s

defense,’ ” Freeman said. “You can say what you want about their

running game not being the same this year as it has been, but you

still have to score on that defense to win.”

Junior outside linebacker Matt Encinias and junior safety Warren

Junowich are returning starters who have shone well thus far, while

junior noseguard Austin Nieto (in on three sacks last week) has led a

front four for which senior ends Mac Posey and Shahan Mouradyan have

also produced big plays.

Both teams come in with similar statistical profiles. CdM has

produced 517 yards of total offense to Newport’s 512 this season,

though CdM has scored 56 points to the Tars’ 31. Newport’s defense

has surrendered 522 yards and 30 points, while CdM has given up 486

yards and 27 points. Both teams are minus-one in turnover ratio.