Seahawks finish season undefeated

The Jr. Midget Seahawks (12-13-year-olds) football team became the

first Newport-Mesa squad to complete an undefeated season (11-0) by

defeating the South County Patriots, 19-16, in the Orange County Jr.

All-American Super Bowl game Saturday at Rowland Heights High.

The Seahawks used a long drive in the game’s final minute to seal

the victory.

The Patriots took a 16-12 lead with one minute, 19 seconds to

play.

Newport responded with quarterback Matt Barkley hitting Matthew

Garza on a 14-yard completion followed by a 15-yard pass caught by

Robbie Boyer, who eluded three tacklers before being stopped at the

4-yard line.

Barkley and Boyer tried to connect on the next play, but officials

made a pass interference call to give the Seahawks the ball at the 2.

Jacob Gildart-Matheny then scored his third touchdown of the game

behind strong blocking from Frankie Russo, Justin Elbourn, Kevin

Morgenstern and tight end Max Steigler.

The Patriots took an 8-0 lead in the second quarter using a

double-wing running game that posed matchup problems for the

Seahawks.

But Newport moved the ball with Garza and fullback Erik Rask

gaining yards on the ground. Barkley completed a pass to Boyer over

the middle for a first down and Gildart-Matheny then broke free on a

55-yard TD run to cut the lead to 8-6 at halftime.

The Seahawks took a 12-8 lead early in the fourth quarter behind

the blocking of Russo, Elbourn, James McKennon, Corbin McNutt and

Morgenstern, setting up a 3-yard TD run by Gildart-Matheny after a

long scamper by Garza.

Rask, Brett Hanrahan, Patrick Marin-Finn, Garza, Gildart-Matheny,

Carlo Valdes, Boyer, Austin Raiger, Tyler Harmon, Johnny Heard,

McNutt, Alex Vollaire, Scott Chene, Morgenstern and Travis Prickett

shut down the Patriots’ running game for 2 1/2 quarters.

Team members include: Kevin Rask, Hunter Alder, Stephen Deverian,

Ryan Lawler, Joshua Dill, Taylor McSunas, Ricky Townsend, Evan

Livadas, J.P. Gormly, Morgan Brombal, James Burger, Zach Peterson,

Steigler, Erik Rask, Hanrahan, Valdes, Barkley, Boyer, McNutt,

Raiger, Marin-Finn, Harmon, Heard, Vollaire, Chene, Prickett, Garza,

Gildart-Matheny, Elbourn, McKennon, Morgenstern and Russo.