Sailors polish up balancing act

Barry Faulkner

Offensive balance is a principle Newport Harbor High football

coach Jeff Brinkley, who also calls the Sailors’ plays, has always

aspired to. But the very nature of the high school game can make

dividing productivity between the run and the pass a difficult

proposition.

In Thursday’s 36-7 nonleague victory over visiting Dana Hills,

however, the Tars surpassed the 200-yard mark on the ground and

through the air for the first time in 73 games.

“We did a good job with the run and the pass,” Brinkley said.

“We’re finally getting the running game going.”

Senior tailback Dartangan Johnson rushed for 121 yards and two

touchdowns on 17 carries, while senior fullback Rhett Hartsfield

averaged 7.2 yards on 10 attempts to help the ground game compile 249

yards against the Dolphins.

Senior quarterback Michael McDonald also completed 12 of 17 (three

other on-target offerings were dropped by receivers) for a

career-high 201 yards and three TDs.

The last time the Sailors ran and passed for at least 200 was a

Week 9 victory over then-Sea View League rival Corona del Mar in

1996.

Newport’s proficiency on the ground usually diminishes the need to

produce through the air, skewing the statistical breakdown

consistently in favor of the rushing attack.

And while the offensive line of tackles A.J. Slater and Chris

Badorek, guards Eric Curtis and Nick Watkins, as well as center Jack

Skahen, seems to be finding a greater comfort level after some early

struggles, McDonald’s throwing accuracy, as well as a deep receiving

corps, is creating a defensive coordinator’s worst nightmare.

Five different receivers caught passes against Dana Hills and

McDonald has connected with nine different teammates this fall.

McDonald completed his first six passes Thursday, including an

18-yard touchdown to tight end Paul Toman and a perfectly placed

sideline streak to Spencer Link for a 71-yard TD. He later hit Mike

Toole for a 27-yard scoring pass that made it 34-7 with 4:36 left in

the third quarter.

McDonald has thrown for more yards (644) than the Sailors have

accrued on the ground (599), a rarity for a program that lists

running the ball and stopping the run as its strategic foundation.

The Sailors (3-1) certainly achieved the latter against Dana

Hills, holding the Dolphins to 33 yards on 31 rushing attempts,

including four sacks, one of which produced a safety.

Dana Hills had only two runs of more than 5 yards and none

produced more than 9. In addition to the sacks, five running plays

were tackled behind the line and one reception also produced negative

yards. Ten more running plays were stopped for gains of 1 or 2 yards,

while three gained just 3 yards.

Senior Jimmy Sanchez, filling in for Peter Hoyt, who

hyper-extended his knee in Wednesday’s practice and did not play,

earned praise for his work at outside linebacker.

But while offense and defense excelled, there were breakdowns on

special teams.

Dolphin punt returner Brett Shirozono bounced off a huddle of

converging tacklers on his way to a 56-yard return that set up a

16-yard mini-drive for the visitors’ only touchdown.

Additionally, Harbor had one conversion kick blocked and another

that was either partially blocked or altered by severe pressure. The

Sailors also had two kickoffs sail out of bounds, allowing Dana Hills

to start on its own 35.

Another positive was the ability to play scores of reserves, an

option which may exist again this week as the Tars host 0-4 Paramount

Thursday night.

“We got everybody in, which was great,” Brinkley said. “Those guys

work just as hard in practice, so it’s good to see them get a chance

to perform. It’s always good for morale.”

Among the substitutes who impressed were running backs Jose Munoz

(25 yards on seven carries) and Rickie Nott (21 yards on five

attempts), who seemed to find plenty of running room behind backup

linemen Sam Khalifian, Tommy Carroll, Blake Adams, Daniel Packham,

Christian Pacheco and Paul Camerzell.