Pee Wee Seahawks win big

The Newport-Mesa Jr. All-American Pee Wee Seahawks defeated the Santa

Fe Springs Saints, 30-13, at Bonita Creek Park in Newport Beach last

Saturday.

The Seahawks recovered the opening onside kick and marched down

the field in five plays, with John Barton scoring from 35 yards out.

Sam Barkley kicked the two-point conversion to give the Hawks an

eight-point lead.

The Saints responded with a 10-play drive on the ensuing offensive

position to close the gap to 8-6. But the Seahawks got the ball back

and proceeded to march through the Saints’ defense once again with

Barton and Barkley gaining large chunks of yards behind blocking by

the offensive line and Fullback Preston Risser.

The drive resulted in Austin Rios taking a reverse for 18 yards

and the second touchdown of the game for the Seahawks, giving the

Seahawks a halftime lead of 16-6.

On the opening kickoff in the second half, Barkley took a reverse

from Barton and returned the ball 70 yards for a touchdown, taking

any hope that the Saints may have had away. Barton scored from five

yards out early in the fourth quarter to seal the victory for the

Seahawks.

Ben Paul, Mario Rosales, A.J. Swies, Trent Anderson, Vincent

Aqueveque, Skyler Garn, Caden Stark, Robbie Huard, Cody Forrest, and

Baron Brown opened up holes for the running game. Zack Beaudin

handled the defensive ends from his tight end position, and Preston

Risser hammered away at the Saints’ linebacking core from his

fullback position. Ryan Grable caught the Seahawks lone pass from

Risser for an 18-yard gain.

Risser led the way on defense with 13 tackles, while quarterback

Blair Luchs was in on 10 tackles and had a fumble recovery on

defense. Barton had one interception and was in on nine tackles. Ryan

Paul contributed with eight tackles and Chasen McNaughten was in on

six tackles. Sam Barkley stripped a Saints’ runner of the ball which

proved to be a key turnover.

The Seahawks (5-2) close out their regular season against the

Rowland Heights Raiders, and have good momentum for the upcoming

playoffs starting in November.

* Long Beach Poly 7, Jr. Clinic Silver Seahawks 6:

In a showdown for first place in conference, the Newport-Mesa Jr.

All-American Clinic Silver Seahawks went toe-to-toe with Long Beach

Poly before losing, 7-6, Saturday. The loss ties the Seahawks for

second place in conference at 3-1.

Chase Forrest and Tanner Traglia went to the air for the Seahawks

for their only touchdown. The two players connected for their eighth

touchdown reception of the season. Jake Favreau rushed for 80 yards

behind the offensive line of Tate Smith, Austin Arico, Andrew

Shearer, Dane Valdivia, Marshall Sepulveda, Lukas Nienhuis, Max Carr

and Quentin Moses. Grant Nutt, Sage Fleming and Taylor Antenucci

chipped in with solid play on offense.

On defense, Keaton Cablay, Stephen Cureton and Forrest recovered

fumbles and Spencer Lujan’s hammering blow caused a fumble. Smith,

Forrest, Shearer and Cureton recorded tackles for losses.

The Seahawks head to undefeated Compton today to play in the

conference championship at 11 a.m.

* Norwalk Saints 26, Future Seahawks 25:

The Newport-Mesa Jr. All-American Future League Seahawks lost to

the visiting Norwalk Saints, 26-25, on Saturday.

The first half was filled with several defensive stops as Nick

Sperr, Taylor Cortens, Jake Genova, Colin Brandenberger, Phoenix

Smith, Will Favreau and Jordan Brokaw kept the Saints’ offense in

check and went into the half with an 8-6 lead.

The Saints struck quickly in the second half with three scores and

took a 14-point lead with 2:30 left to play in the game. Behind a

running attack featuring Anthony Battista, who also returned a

kickoff and tallied all four scores, the Seahawks’ offense, led by

Luke Genova, Kobe Benter, Max Durante, Michael Brown and Colton

Benter, never gave up and continued to play hard. The play of the day

was an thrilling sideline-to-sideline scamper by Anthony Battista

that featured a bone-jarring block by Jack Genova with one minute

left in the game.

* Baldwin Saints 8, Jr. Clinic Blue 0:

The Newport-Mesa Jr. Clinic Blue lost to host Baldwin Hills in a

defensive battle on Saturday.

In the first quarter the Seahawks’ defense, featuring Trevor

Branca, Jamal Bazzi, Colin Duffy, Chad Sheldon, Clint Henderson, Alex

Fuller and Nic Landstrom, stomped the Bruins, causing Baldwin Hills

to turn the ball over on downs on their own 45-yard line.

The Seahawks were unable to get the ball into the end zone in the

first half and went to the locker room at the end of the second

quarter tied, 0-0.

The third quarter began with strong defense from Cole Collins,

Matt McKinnon, Austin Robert, and Beau Roth, keeping the Bruins

scoreless. On offense in the second half, the backfield of Caswell

Orr, Quest Truxton, Noah Howe and Clay Woodward moved the ball well

but again came up short and after three quarters the score was still

tied, 0-0.

With seven minutes to go in the game, the Bruins broke a sweep

outside and scored on a 25-yard run. That proved to be all the Bruins

needed, as they held off the Seahawks in a 8-0 road loss.