Sailors, CdM among league title contenders

Whatever happened in the first five games of the football season for

Newport Harbor High is meaningless.

Nothing Corona del Mar accomplished in the first five contests

matters.

At least that’s what the coaches are saying as the Sailors and Sea

Kings begin prepare to open Sea View League and Pacific Coast League

action this week.

Newport Harbor (5-0) has a difficult schedule in the next three

weeks. The Sailors open up Friday against Foothill at Tustin High,

host Aliso Niguel Oct. 21, and travel to Irvine Oct. 30. Those three

schools were league tri-champions last year and remain strong

contenders again this year.

The Tars have played a tough nonleague schedule, beating CIF

Division I schools Fountain Valley and Marina to open the season and

perennial Division III power Mira Costa last week. Newport Harbor,

No. 1 in Division VI, has overcome injuries to star players on

offense, defense and special teams to continue to find ways to win.

The defense is one of the best in the league, holding opponents to

fewer than 12 points per game, and the offense has been efficient

despite the injuries.

It looks as if Newport is the favorite in the league, but the

first three games will be the true test. Last year’s tri-champions

will battle for a playoff spot, with Foothill emerging as a favorite.

Aliso Niguel (5-0) averaged more than 27 points per game last

year, and the Wolverines continue to have a high-powered offense. The

team has scored a league-best 170 points this fall, including 91 in

the first two games.

The offense has been wide open, with quarterback Drew Westling

throwing for close to 1,400 yards with 13 touchdowns and just four

interceptions. Westling spreads the ball around evenly, as four

receivers have more than 10 receptions so far.

The Wolverines, No. 7 in Division VI, open league against

Woodbridge before taking on Newport Oct. 21 at Davidson Field, and

hosting Foothill and Irvine, Oct. 29 and Nov. 5, respectively.

Irvine (3-2) has featured a balanced attack this year, gaining

close to 700 yards passing and 500 on the ground. The main weapon for

the Vaqueros is running back Chris Sykes, who has rushed for close to

400 yards.

Irvine, No. 10 in Division VI, put up 54 points in the season

opener against University and battled a tough Valencia team to a

28-14 loss last week.

Three weeks at the end of October and start of November will be

the defining point of the schedule for Irvine. The Vaqueros host

Newport Oct. 30, travel to Aliso Niguel Nov. 5 and host Foothill Nov.

13.

Foothill (2-3) is tougher than the record indicates. The Knights

have lost to Tesoro, Mater Dei and Santa Margarita, while beating

Tustin and El Modena.

“[The Knights] have the toughest schedule,” Newport Harbor Coach

Jeff Brinkley said. “I think ours is probably the second-toughest,

but theirs has been real tough.”

Foothill may have the best league schedule of the four contending

teams. The Knights host Newport Harbor Friday and Laguna Hills Oct.

22, then travel to Aliso Niguel Oct. 29. It hosts Woodbridge Nov. 5

and closes out the season at Irvine Nov. 13.

Woodbridge (2-2-1) battled Northwood to a 14-14 tie in the season

opener before falling to Dana Hills and University. Back-to-back wins

have the Warriors on a roll, but playing at Aliso Friday will be a

tough test.

Woodbridge’s lone league win last year was against Laguna Hills.

Look for that trend to continue.

Laguna Hills (0-5) has lost 10 straight dating back to last year.

The streak could reach 15 by the end of this season unless the Hawks

can pull off an upset.

In the Pacific Coast League, last year’s runner-up, Tesoro, is

stacking up to be the team to beat this year.

The Titans (3-2) have scored more points (175) than any other PCL

team. Quarterback Nick Nelson, the league’s offensive Most Valuable

Player last year, is the catalyst. He has passed for more than 800

yards with nine touchdowns.

Nelson’s favorite target has been Scott McKnight, a returning

first-team all-league selection. McKnight has caught more than 25

passes for close to 400 yards.

Tesoro, No. 3 in Division IX, beat Foothill, 42-29, in the second

week of the season and lost, 43-42, to Dana Hills the following week.

Key dates on the Titans’ PCL schedule include Oct. 29 (vs. CdM at

Orange Coast College) and Nov. 5 (at Northwood).

CdM (3-2) has the athletes to win the league title. The Sea Kings

host Northwood Oct. 22. The Sea Kings better pay attention to

University Nov. 4, or they could could fall. The CdM away games are

against Calvary Chapel and Laguna Beach, two teams it should beat

handily.

The Sea Kings, No. 5 in Division IX, jumped out to a 3-0 start,

beating Estancia, Costa Mesa and Troy by a combined 114-51. A tough

loss to Newport Harbor and a 33-3 drubbing at the hands of Valencia,

ranked No. 3 in Division VI, have the Sea Kings on the ropes, but a

bye week and opening against Calvary Chapel Saturday will help CdM

get back into a winning grove that should propel the team into the

playoffs.

Last year’s league champion, Northwood (2-1-2), sports a balanced

team that runs, passes and defends well.

The Timberwolves are second in the league with 156 points, and

second in the league on defense, allowing 99 points. A 40-0 blowout

over Ross Shepard followed by a 56-28 win over Los Amigos indicate

the type of fire power Northwood can generate.

Quarterback Dan Selway, an all-league selection last year, has

passed for close to 700 yards with nine TDs. Running back Jeff

Keller, also a first-team all-leaguer last year, has rushed for more

than 500 yards with five scores. Junior Sean Curtis has caught more

than 30 passes this year.

Northwood, No. 9 in Division IX hosts Tesoro Nov. 5.

University (1-3-1) is a bit of a wild card. The Trojans could very

well surprise and capture one of the league’s three guaranteed

playoff spots.

University beat CdM, 20-13, in the season finale last year to

knock the Sea Kings out of the postseason picture. Look for Dick

Freeman’s club to exact payback Nov. 4.

Laguna Beach (4-1) has the stingiest defense, allowing a

league-low 48 points in nonleague play . The Breakers, however, have

not played an inspiring schedule, including wins over La Quinta,

Ocean View, Costa Mesa and Magnolia.

If first-year coach Jimmy Nolan can keep the four-game winning

streak going, maybe the Breakers will surprise a team or two. But

don’t count on it. The best chance for a league win for Nolan comes

on Nov. 4 when his Breakers travel to Calvary Chapel.

Calvary Chapel (2-3) did not win a league game last year, but

neither did Laguna Beach. The two teams played to a 14-14 tie in last

year’s season finale.