Sailors play like champs

Richard Dunn

While Newport Harbor High’s Sailors continued their streak of

success against Sea View League football competition, they got a real

kick out of themselves before the league opener even started Friday

night.

In pregame warmups, Newport Harbor kicker Brian Campos rolled his

ankle on his first kickoff attempt after landing on the tee, forcing

Sailors Coach Jeff Brinkley to scramble like his old quarterback

days.

“I’ve never had that happen before,” said Brinkley, whose team,

the defending league champion, responded without flinching as the

host Sailors defeated Aliso Niguel’s Wolverines, 35-6.

“I’m glad we won the game, but when you talk about injured

players, we’ve got a lot of guys banged up right now,” added

Brinkley, whose squad (5-1), ranked No. 3 in CIF Southern Section

Division VI and No. 10 in Orange County, moved the ball on the ground

(223 rushing yards) and through the air behind senior quarterback

Mike McDonald.

McDonald completed 10 of 20 passes for 165 yards and one touchdown

-- all but 5 yards coming in the first half -- and rushed for 20

yards on three carries, including a 10-yard touchdown run on a

right-side scramble to give the Sailors their first lead.

Senior tailback Dartangan Johnson provided all of his work in

three quarters, gaining 173 rushing yards on 22 carries and three

touchdowns, tying the late Andre Stewart for the school record in

career 100-yard games.

On the Wolverines’ second series, Newport Harbor defensive tackle

Chase Brawner sacked Aliso quarterback Gregory Fisher for a 6-yard

loss on the first play, then two plays later Harbor outside

linebacker Matt Encinias recovered a Wolverine fumble at the Aliso 11

to set up the Sailors’ initial score.

After a dropped pass on second down, McDonald scored behind a

Spencer Link block with 3:48 left in the first quarter. Blake Adams,

filling in for Campos, kicked the PAT and the Tars enjoyed a 7-0

edge.

On the ensuing kickoff, Aliso Niguel’s Trent Carroll returned it

88 yards for an apparent touchdown, but it was called back because of

holding on the Wolverines. On the fourth play of their series, they

fumbled an option pitch at midfield and Newport Harbor recovered at

the Aliso 48.

On the next play, Johnson went up the middle for a 48-yard

touchdown run and Adams added the PAT for a 14-0 Newport lead.

Following a series of second-quarter turnovers, the Tars took over

with good position on their own 45 with 2:09 remaining in the first

half.

Despite a couple of dropped passes, McDonald was able to move the

chains for the Tars, the key play coming on a 16-yard screen pass to

Johnson, who carried it to the Aliso 19 and a Newport first down. A

16-yard pass to Michael Toole (four catches for 53 yards) on third

down ignited the drive in Brinkley’s two-minute offense.

McDonald’s 6-yard gain on third down set up first-and-goal for the

Sailors at the Aliso 5-yard line, and, three plays later, Johnson ran

behind left tackle A.J. Slater to reach the end zone with 0:27 left

as Newport Harbor built a 20-0 intermission lead.

Johnson, who received a nice ovation after walking off the field,

returned after one play and scored on an 8-yard touchdown run with

9:59 left in the third quarter. On the two-point conversion, Paul

Toman caught a pass from McDonald. It gave the hosts a 28-0 lead.

Later in the third quarter, Newport Harbor was on the move again,

this time starting from the Aliso 32, because the Tars’ defense had

pushed the Wolverines back to their own 9-yard line following a

third-down sack by Newport linebacker Jimmy Sanchez, forcing the

Wolverines to punt from their own end zone.

The Tars had the ball on fourth-and-seven at the Aliso 27, but a

defensive pass interference penalty on the visitors gave Harbor an

automatic first down.

Two plays later, and to begin the fourth quarter, McDonald found

sophomore Trevor Theriot on a 5-yard touchdown pass. Joel Walker

kicked his first varsity PAT to make it 35-0.

Aliso Niguel’s Bobback Tehrani, after catching a screen pass on

first down, cut back in traffic and sprinted the rest of the way to

paydirt for a 62-yard touchdown with 5:45 left in the game.