Sailors downed in final

Rick Devereux

The Newport Harbor High football team suffered its largest defeat in

seven years Saturday, bowing to Orange Lutheran, 35-6, in the CIF

Southern Section Division VI championship at Angel Stadium.

The 29-point loss was the widest margin of defeat for Newport

since losing 45-6 to Santa Margarita in Week 7 of the 1997 season, a

span of 92 games.

“It was a great journey, being here with all my friends,” said

Spencer Link, Newport senior wide receiver. “It’s [disappointing]

that it has to come to an end like this.”

Newport (12-1-1) entered the game seeded No. 2 in the division and

the Lancers were seeded No. 1. It was the Sailors’ sixth trip to the

title game under the direction of Coach Jeff Brinkley, who praised

his team’s opponent.

“I give them all the credit in the world,” Brinkley said. “They

are a very good football team and have great athletes.”

Orange Lutheran (13-1), the Division VI runner-up last year,

finished with five rushing touchdowns, 283 yards on 50 carries and

dominated the time of possession by more than 15 minutes.

The Lancers scored on their first four possessions and amassed 230

offensive yards in the first half.

Newport was forced to punt on its first five possession and gained

43 yards in the first half.

Lutheran’s fullback Pat Roxas, running back Donny Lee and

quarterback Aaron Corp rushed for a combined 133 yards and four

scores to open up a 28-0 halftime lead.

Roxas plunged in from 1 yard out to cap an eight-play, 85-yard

drive on Lutheran’s first possession.

Lee scampered 16 yards on an option pitch for the Lancers’ second

score.

Corp scored from 12 yards to open the second quarter.

Lee’s 4-yard touchdown put Orange Lutheran up, 28-0, with 3:55

left in the half.

The Sailors avoided a shutout on quarterback Kasey Peters’ 41-yard

strike to receiver Alex Orth on Newport’s first possession of the

third quarter. The extra point attempt was blocked to make it 28-6.

“Orth is a great player and great players make great plays,”

Lutheran Coach Jim Kunau said.

Orange Lutheran responded with a 13-play, 70-yard drive that

consumed 6:26 off the clock and was finalized by Roxas’ 2-yard

touchdown run up the middle.

“I’d say this is as about as good as we have played all year,”

Kunau said.

* RICK DEVEREUX is a sports reporter. He may be reached at (714)

966-4612 or by e-mail at rick.devereux@latimes.com.