Two-minute drill

* Since the 1997 Battle of the Bay drew a sub-capacity 4,000 at

Newport Harbor’s Davidson Field, the rivalry has generated a combined

attendance of nearly 36,000 its last six meetings, with a low of

5,100 at 5,000-seat Davidson Field in 2000.

* Though Newport Harbor and Coach Jeff Brinkley have won five

straight and nine of the last 10 over Corona del Mar, Brinkley is a

modest 12-7 against the Sea Kings in his 18 seasons at the Sailors’

helm (they played twice in 1992). The seven CdM wins match Santa

Margarita as two of the biggest nemeses during Brinkley’s reign. Only

one school - Irvine, with eight, including two CIF Southern Section

title-game triumphs - has more wins over Harbor since Brinkley

arrived.

* Newport Harbor’s 3-0 start is its first since 1998, when the

Tars accomplished the feat for the seventh straight campaign.

* Newport Harbor’s 20 second-half points, as well as Corona del

Mar’s 14 points in the first 4:51, shattered early defensive trends

for both teams. In the first two games, Newport had not allowed a

point in the first half, while CdM had held its first two foes

scoreless after intermission.

* CdM players are each wearing a small helmet decal with the name

“Sean” as a tribute to Sean Fenton, a former Sea King standout and

Yale student-athlete who was killed in an East Coast auto accident

last spring. Sean’s brother, Avery Fenton, is a sophomore tight

end-linebacker on this year’s team.

* Among those taking in the pageantry of the 42nd Battle of the

Bay Friday at Orange Coast College was super agent Leigh Steinberg.

He sat on the CdM (home) side.

* Laguna Beach High Coach Dave Holland, a former head coach at

Corona del Mar, said the Breakers have the funding and will install

new field turf (an artificial surface that simulates grass) on the

school’s football field before next season.

* After Costa Mesa’s 41-13 victory over Laguna Beach, Mustang

Coach Dave Perkins was quick to credit offensive line coach Jesse

Sapolu, the former San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman who is also

Mesa’s strength and conditioning coach.

Sapolu put the offensive and defensive linemen through rigorous

training during the off-season. He also inspired them with his

winning ways. Sapolu contributed to four Super Bowl teams for the

49ers in 1984, ‘88, ’89 and ’94. The Pro Bowl center also helped lead

the 49ers to 10 or more wins in each of the seasons he played.

* While Sapolu received credit he also shouldered some blame for

the offensive line’s play in the first game. He said he missed a day

during the practice week, but that was just part of the line’s

problem.

However, the Mustangs corrected their mistakes in Week 3, leading

to 271 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

“We’re gelling,” Sapolu said. “We had Bryce Carich playing out of

position because of the injury to Rodrigo Gutierrez. But we’re

getting better now that they’re at their normal positions.”

* Estancia High’s Chad Sherrell switched numbers twice during the

Eagles’ 26-7 loss to Katella.

Early in the first quarter, apparently unhappy with his shoulder

pads, Sherrell came racing over to the sideline and ripped off his

jersey and shoulder pads simultaneously. With Sherrell on the prowl

for new equipment, sophomore Kyle Bannon offered his shoulder pads

and jersey to Sherrell.

The switch left Sherrell wearing No. 13 instead of his usual 65.

That’s not a problem when the senior is playing defensive line. But

he also fills in at offensive line and 13 isn’t a legal number for a

lineman.

At halftime, Sherrell and Bannon traded jerseys again, but not

shoulder pads. So Sherrell went from 65 to 13, back to 65.

GAMEBUSTERS

*--*

High school plays of 30 yards or more

* 76 -- Kevin Welch (Corona del Mar) touchdown pass from Tom Welch.

* 62 -- Evan Hunter (Costa Mesa) touchdown pass from Bruce Wilkinson.

* 58 -- Spencer Link (Newport Harbor) touchdown pass from Kasey Peters.

* 47 -- Geo Macias (Estancia) pass from Brad Young.

* 41 -- Shane Collins (Corona del Mar) kickoff return.

* 33 -- Matt Encinias (Newport Harbor) run.

* 31 -- Omar Ruiz (Costa Mesa) run.

*--*

GAMESTOPPERS

* NEWPORT HARBOR - Middle linebacker Thomas Martin’s hard tackle

produces a fumble and end Saami Khalifian recovers to halt CdM drive

... Outside ‘backer Greg Miner knocks the ball loose after a short

completion and safety Ryan Rippon recovers to set up a field goal ...

Khalifian stacks up a run for a 2-yard loss ... Tackle Mark Temple

and Martin combine to nail a ball carrier for no gain ... Martin

nails a CdM runner for a 5-yard loss ... End Sean Rowe pulls down a

back for a 1-yard loss ... Temple breaks loose for a 4-yard sack and

Khalifian nails QB for 11-yard loss on the next snap to help seal the

win.

* COSTA MESA - Senior end Marc Daniels sacks the quarterback for

an 8-yard loss ... Senior inside linebacker Brett Via stuffs a

ballcarrier for a 1-yard loss ... On the following play, senior Eric

Reyes tackles the running back for a 1-yard loss ... Senior defensive

end Qualic Vargas completes the three-and-out with a sack for a

12-yard loss ... Luke Sapolu and Daniels combine for a tackle that

results in a 1-yard loss ... Daniels, Sapolu and Luis Gonzalez gang

tackle a running back for a 1-yard loss ... Senior ‘backer Jeff

Waldron sacks the quarterback, jars the ball loose and Cameron

Wynglarz recovers at Laguna Beach’s 1-yard line ... Senior cornerback

Al Rodriguez intercepts a pass and returns it 39 yards for a

touchdown ... Wynglarz ends a Laguna scoring chance when he drills a

tight end, knocks the ball loose and Luis Gonzalez recovers ...

Waldron picks off a pass and returns it three yards to the Laguna 20,

setting up a touchdown ... Senior ‘backer Gary Gonzalez intercepts a

pass and returns it five yards ... Daniels sacks the quarterback for

a 4-yard loss.

* CORONA DEL MAR - A big hit by safety Tom Welch separates the

ball from would-be receiver to force an incomplete pass ... End Matt

Burgner strips the ball on a sack and linebacker Zach Wishengrad

recovers to set up a short touchdown drive ... Wishengrad stuffs a

run for a 2-yard loss ... Tackle John Fairbanks makes a big hit to

halt a short rushing gain ... Tackle Andrew Keligian, Fairbanks and

Burgner all converge on QB for a 4-yard sack ... Burgner and end

Brian Dunn combine for a 7-yard sack ... Linebacker John Shanahan

makes initial hit and Dunn is there to finish to snuff a reverse for

a 9-yard loss ... Outside ‘backer Mordy Ornguze retreats in coverage

to bat away a pass ... Inside ‘backer Tyler Lance makes a forceful

hit to stop a run for no gain ... Matt Busch makes a big hit in the

secondary to stop a short completion, then staggers to the sideline

... Safety Austin Brawner makes a near-interception ... Wishengrad

and Dunn combine to produce a 1-yard loss on an off-tackle play.

* ESTANICA - Mike Softa puts a hit on the quarterback, forcing an

errant pass ... Gary Strawn records a pair of sacks, the second of

which forces a fumble that’s recovered by Chad Sherrell ... Bubba

Kapko makes a open-field tackle ... Jason Johnston makes a shoestring

tackle and later knocks away a pass ... Geo Macias races 50 yards to

strip the ball near the Eagles’ goal line and it is recovered in the

end zone by Ian Morton ... Morton knocks down a pass at the line of

scrimmage ... Mike Jones stops the running back for a 4-yard loss ...

Sherrell puts a hit on the quarterback, causing an incompletion ...

Kapko makes consecutive tackles.