Sailors’ playoff hopes are foggy

Patrick Laverty

A heavy fog rolled across Aliso Niguel High’s football stadium in the

fourth quarter of the Wolverines’ homecoming game against Newport

Harbor, so heavy that the opposite sideline was obscured. And there

couldn’t have been a more apt description for the Sailors’ playoff

hopes.

Newport Harbor (5-2, 0-2 in Sea View League play) surrendered a

fourth-quarter lead for the second consecutive game and now finds

itself at the bottom of the league standings with three games to play

after opening the season with five straight wins.

The Wolverines (5-2, 2-0), playing in front of a large and loud

crowd, posted their first victory ever over Newport Harbor with a

pair of touchdowns over the final four minutes of the game,

prevailing, 23-19.

“Other than in ‘96, when we won a CIF title, this is huge for our

program,” Aliso Niguel Coach Joe Wood said. “We have not been able to

beat the No. 1 teams in our league and this is a start.”

Newport Harbor was expected to compete for the No. 1 spot in the

league this season, and did so through three quarters against league

favorite Foothill last week. But the Sailors have now lost

consecutive games in league play for the first time since 1998. More

importantly, they may have lost their starting quarterback, Kasey

Peters.

Peters was knocked out of the game after completing 9 of 19 passes

for 91 yards when he took a hard hit with 1:36 remaining in the game.

Peters looked to be in immense pain immediately after the hit. He

left the field under his own power, but his arm was immobilized in a

sling afterward.

The play on which Peters was knocked out of the game, resulted in

a 5-yard interception return for Aliso’s Michael Goldman, giving the

Wolverines a 23-10 lead.

Sophomore Tom Jackson attempted to lead the Sailors to a

miraculous comeback, throwing a 60-yard touchdown pass to Spencer

Link. But the Wolverines recovered an onside kick with 16 seconds

remaining.

Aliso Niguel had taken a 17-13 lead when quarterback Scott Brown

scored from 13 yards out on a draw play. The touchdown culminated a

nine-play, 48-yard drive that came after the Wolverines recovered a

Sailors fumble.

“The fourth quarter, that’s where you win championships and this

is a championship team,” Wood said.

Aliso’s comeback overshadowed a splendid effort from Sailors

senior tailback Matt Encinias. He rushed for 203 yards on 27 carries,

including a 54-yard scamper that gave the Sailors a 13-10 halftime

advantage. It was Encinias’ longest run this season.

With Harbor still leading 13-10 early in the fourth quarter,

Encinias returned a punt 49 yards for an apparent touchdown, but the

play was called back because of a running into the kicker penalty.

The Wolverines punted again and a strong boot put the Sailors back on

their 38-yard line. Attempting to drive across midfield five plays

later, Harbor fumbled, leading to the go-ahead score.

The Wolverines moved the ball primarily through the air most of

the night, a surprise considering Brown entered the game averaging

just 92.5 passing yards per game. He had attempted just 73 passes in

six games, but threw 22 times Friday, completing 15 passes for 209

yards.

“We knew we had to open it up,” Wood said. “They’re very physical

up front. Their linebackers are some of the best in the [league].”

The Wolverines opened it up on their second series, trailing, 7-0.

Brown lined up at wide receiver. Drew Westling threw a lateral to

Brown, who passed to Terrell Robinson downfield. Robinson took the

ball 65 yards into the end zone to tie the score, 7-7.

It was an immediate answer to Newport’s first touchdown, which

came 13 seconds prior. After Peter Hoyt recovered a fumble at the

Wolverines’ 23-yard line, Peters found Alex Orth on a crossing

pattern for a 25-yard touchdown. Orth finished with three catches for

46 yards.

The touchdown came after Newport’s first series stalled at the

Aliso Niguel 2-yard line. Encinias set the Sailors up with a

first-and-goal at the 5-yard line after a 38-yard run, but Newport

was unable to punch it in, turning the ball over on downs.

After gaining two first downs to escape the shadow of their end

zone, the Wolverines turned the ball other, their only turnover of

the night.