Shadowlands

Looking back, 5 years ago this week:

The Newport Harbor High girls soccer team blasts through Estancia,

5-1, in nonleague action. Five different players score for Newport

(2-1) including Taylor Yurada, Alison Parker, Cari Morrell, Kyle

McNichols and Devon Burlingham. The Sailors ride the performance of

All-Sea View League performer Brooke Flamson, while Estancia (1-2) is

led by Rebeka Roth. The Eagles’ Jennifer Porter drills a corner kick

to knot the score, 1-1, before Harbor makes its run.

Sam Nelson tips in a shot with eight seconds remaining to lift the

Estancia High boys basketball team to a 62-60 triumph over visiting

Irvine in a nonleague contest. Estancia’s Brett Valbuena gets a piece

of Chris Ferguson’s shot with three seconds left and a scramble for

the loose ball ensues. Irvine wants a foul called but doesn’t get it.

Eagle senior guard James Dawkins finishes with a season-high 28

points while forward Ryan Simpson tallies 10 points and Nelson

finishes with nine. The Eagles (3-3) lead, 40-23, before Irvine goes

on a 20-0 run. The Vaqueros (4-2) shut out the Eagles the final three

minutes of the third quarter and score 14 points in that span. Irvine

takes the lead, 49-43, before Dawkins hits his fourth of five

three-point shots to end the drought and Valbuena then follows with a

reverse layup to spark Estancia’s comeback.

The Newport Harbor boys basketball team places third in the

Century Shootout after an 84-76 victory over University. Junior point

guard Matt Jameson leads the Sailors comeback from a three-point

halftime deficit. He scores 15 points for the Tars. Alan Limon

replaces injured Scott Archbold and scores 10 of his team-high 17

points in the second half. Adam Hearlson and Dustin Illingworth add

12 and 15 points, respectively, as Newport leads by eight points at

the end of the third quarter.

Looking back, 10 years ago this week:

Costa Mesa High senior J.R. Porter and Mutangs’ Coach Jason Lynch,

who help lead the Pacific Coast League champions to the CIF Southern

Section Division III water polo championship, are granted All-CIF

honors by a committee of coaches. Porter, a senior driver and

two-meter guard, is named CIF Division III Player of the Year while

Lynch earns Coach of the Year accolades. Junior Sam Grayeli, the

team’s leading scorer and assist man, is also a first-team pick in

CIF Division III while Corona del Mar’s Crosby Grant earns first-team

honors in Division I. Costa Mesa’s Greg Felli and junior goalie Chris

Avitia are second-team picks while CdM senior Brad Harrington and

Newport senior twins Brian and Brett McAllister are named to the

Division I second team. Newport junior Nathan Andersen and Sea Kings’

senior Tom Norton are third-team choices in Division I while Estancia

junior Adam Bollenbach and Costa Mesa senior Cary Peterson are

third-teamer picks in Division III.

Newport Harbor falls to Irvine, 30-8, in the CIF Division IV

football championship game at Orange Coast College. Coverage of the

game merits a special Sunday edition of the Daily Pilot. The game

marks the first time Harbor (11-3) gives up 30 points since a 32-0

defeat in 1986 in Newport Coach Jeff Brinkley’s first season at the

helm of the Tars. Irvine quarterback Aron Garcia picks apart the

Harbor defense, completing 17 of 23 passes for 255 yards and two

touchdowns. Newport defensive tackle Phil Bloomberg is part of a unit

that holds All-CIF fullback Scott Seal to a modest 70 yards on 24

carries. Newport quarterback Gregg Williams finds Chad La Bass for an

8-yard TD reception and then connects with tight end Mike Freeman on

a two-point conversion to avert the shutout. Williams produces

single-game highs of 13 completions and 126 yards in 30 attempts. The

Vaqueros (13-1), winners of the 1991 CIF Division II title, hold

Newport to a season-low 64 yards rushing on 20 attempts.

-- compiled by Bryce Alderton