Time will be Newport’s greatest asset

Steve Virgen

For the first few weeks of the spring sports season, the Newport

Harbor High boys track and field team won’t look like the usual

Sailors’ squad that is set to contend for a Sea View League title

right from the start. But, before March is over, Newport will be

improved simply because the Sailors will have better knowledge of

themselves and their capabilities.

What they know now is they are young and the team is up in

participation numbers.

“Over half our (program) is made up of freshmen,” Newport Coach

Nowell Kay said. “That’s pretty much the makeup of sports at Newport,

with the freshmen. I had a ton of kids in cross country. We have a

lot of kids on the team right now, which is good.”

Kay, in his 18th year in the program, takes over as coach for Bim

Barry, who is teaching in Lima, Peru. Kay said he spoke with Barry

about three weeks ago, as Barry came to California because the school

in Peru is on summer vacation.

Aside from the increased numbers, Kay is also excited because he

expects improvement to be made.

“We’re pretty solid,” Kay said. “I’m pretty pleased with what we

have out there. We’re young so we can develop toward the end of the

year.”

The Sailors will also have experience. Seven seniors are expected

to help the team in its growing process. Dartagnan Johnson (sprints),

the standout running back for Newport’s football team, and Alec

Urtusuastegui are two seniors who should provide leadership, as

should Rhett Hartsfield (sprints and jumps), Wes Pohlmann (distance),

Fernando Castorena, Jake Skahen (throws) and Johnny Moreno, who is

Newport’s top hurdler.

Urtusuastegui won a Sea View League title in the 3,200 meters last

year. He will defend his individual championship this season and

compete in the 800 and 1,600, as well.

The Sailors were co-champions of the Sea View League last season.

They went undefeated in the regular season, but then finished second

at league finals to let Aliso Niguel share the championship.

This season, Kay said Foothill, a new entry to the league, is the

favorite to win the team title in the Sea View. Kay added the Sailors

will be able to contend because of their solid junior class, which

includes Nick Miller, who qualified for CIF last year in the 3,200.

Matt Encinias is Newport’s top athlete in the long jump, while

Ricky Nott is skilled in the high jump and Joel Walker can score

points in the 100, 200, 400 and relays.

Matt Tracy, another junior, returns as a CIF qualifier in the 400

from last season. The Sailors’ athleticism will also be strengthened

by sophomore Spencer Link, the quick wide receiver from the football

team.

“We’ll be a pretty good dual-meet team,” Kay said. “We’re pretty

deep, and we have a lot of good distance runners. I’m happy with the

speed. We have to work on the specialty events. If I was picking

teams, I would pick Foothill, based on what they have, but you never

know.”