Costa Mesa, Newport earn preseason rankings

Patrick Laverty

Newport Harbor and Costa Mesa were both ranked and Corona del Mar

received consideration in the CIF Southern Section preseason football

polls released Tuesday, with the Mustangs garnering the highest

ranking of the Newport-Mesa schools, fifth in Division VII.

Costa Mesa, which went undefeated in the Golden West League last

season to claim the league title, were defeated by Gabrielino, 15-14,

in the first round of the playoff last year.

Coach Dave Perkins’ squad returns 34 letterman from that team,

including seven returning starters on offense and eight on defense.

All three numbers are tops among the ten ranked teams in the

division.

No. 10 Orange, which finished 8-2 last season, is the only other

Golden West League team ranked. South Hills, which defeated Walnut

36-8 in last year’s Division VII championship game, is the preseason

favorite. Walnut is ranked second.

In Division VI, another defending champion, Los Altos, is the No.

1 team entering the season.

The Conquerors, who defeated Newport Harbor’s Sea View League

rival Foothill in the 2002 championship game, have two players that

have already committed to UCLA.

Newport Harbor is ranked No. 10 in the preseason poll after

finishing last season 7-4, which included a first-round playoff loss

to Valencia after a second-place finish in the Sea View League.

Harbor is below two other Sea View League teams in the preseason

rankings. Foothill is No. 7 and Laguna Hills is No. 9. Newport Harbor

returns 29 lettermen from last year’s team, including four starters

on offense and two on defense.

Corona del Mar, which like Costa Mesa and Newport Harbor lost in

the first round of the playoffs last season, received consideration

in the Division IX poll, but was not ranked.

The Sea Kings finished 6-5 last year, in second place in the

Pacific Coast League. They return 25 letterman from last year’s team,

including three returning starters on offense and two on defense.

CdM’s league rivals Northwood and University were ranked sixth and

seventh, respectively.

The prep football season begins Thursday, Sept. 11 when Newport

Harbor plays host to Trabuco Hills.

The other four teams from the Newport-Mesa area are in action on

Friday, Sept. 12, including a battle between Costa Mesa and Corona

del Mar at Newport Harbor High.