Tars’ title picture muddied

Barry Faulkner

Leave it to familiar nemesis Irvine High to put a kink in the

Newport Harbor football team’s Sea View League title plans.

By defeating first-place Foothill Friday night, 24 hours after

Newport Harbor had dispatched Woodbridge to improve to 3-1 in league,

Irvine muddled what the Sailors hoped would be crystal clear heading

into Thursday’s battle with Foothill at Tustin High.

Had Foothill gotten past Irvine, the winner of the Newport

Harbor-Foothill clash would have been the league’s No. 1

representative in the CIF Southern Section Division VI Playoffs.

Now, with Foothill, Newport Harbor and Irvine tied atop the league

standings, and Laguna Hills lurking one game back, several scenarios

surround the final week of the regular season.

If victorious over Foothill, Newport Harbor will at least claim a

share of its second straight Sea View crown. The Sailors could be

outright champions if they win and Laguna Hills knocks off host

Irvine Thursday.

Should Newport and Irvine win, the Sailors would share the title

with the Vaqueros. Irvine, however, would be the league’s No. 1

playoff representative, with Newport No. 2, based on the Vaqs’ 28-20

triumph over the Tars on Oct. 25.

If Newport loses and Irvine wins, the Tars would finish third.

This would mean they would be on the road for the first round of the

playoffs for the first time since 1997.

Should Newport lose and Laguna Hills win, the Sailors, Vaqueros

and Hawks would tie for second. Since all would be 1-1 against one

another, the Nos. 2 and 3 representatives would be determined by coin

flip.

Even in the least favorable scenario, a three-way tie for second

and losing the coin flip to Irvine and Laguna Hills, the Sailors are

virtually assured of collecting the division’s lone at-large berth.

Among other potential Division VI, at-large qualifiers, only

Katella from the Empire League and Bellflower from the Suburban

League could match Newport’s 7-3 record, should it be forced into

at-large qualification.

Newport was ranked No. 6 in last week’s Division VI poll, ahead of

No. 7 Katella sand No. 9 Bellflower. Katella, however, figures to

drop in the poll, after losing, 21-0, to Valencia Friday.

Newport Harbor Coach Jeff Brinkley is well aware of the scenarios,

but prefers to keep things simple.

“I think we’re in the playoffs, but I know if we don’t win, we

don’t have a chance to be champions,” Brinkley said. “We’re still

basically playing for the championship this week.”

The Sailors could be at full strength for the first time in more

than a month against the Knights.

Sophomore receiver Spencer Link dislocated his left shoulder

Thursday, landing awkwardly in the end zone after a touchdown catch.

But Brinkley believes the team’s top pass catcher (33 receptions for

543 yards and seven touchdowns) could be in the lineup. Link had the

same injury to his right shoulder the first week of practice and,

after sitting out the scrimmage as a precaution, played in the season

opener.

Newport was without starting left guard Eric Curtis (bronchitis),

noseguard Austin Nieto (back spasms) and fullback Rhett Hartsfield

(abdominal muscle) against Woodbridge. Brinkley expects Nieto and

Curtis to be ready this week and said Hartsfield may return after a

five-game absence.

Tommy Carroll filled in for Curtis, Alfredo Cruz stepped in for

Nieto and sophomore Trevor Theriot continued to fill in capably for

Hartsfield against the Warriors, who like the Sailors’ last eight

opponents, had trouble stopping the offense.

“We’ve been playing real well, offensively,” said Brinkley, who

is, however, slightly concerned about some defensive lapses.

“I just think we need to get into a groove we had earlier in the

season on defense,” he said.

Woodbridge marched 75 yards on 11 plays with the opening kickoff

to take a 7-0 lead, but managed just three first downs over its next

seven possessions, by which time the Tars had put the game away with

35 consecutive points.

Senior quarterback Michael McDonald added a little leg work to his

typically fine passing performance against the Warriors. In addition

to completing 9 of 18 for 139 yards and two TDs, the 6-foot,

180-pounder rushed six times -- all designed draws out of the shotgun

or bootleg keepers -- for 104 yards and two TDs.

Senior tailback Dartangan Johnson also continued his statistical

climb.

His 135 rushing yards put him at 1,070 for the season and 3,075

for his career.