Sailors savor first taste of victory

Corona del Mar High and Sage Hill School repeated the experience of

winning a football game, while Estancia and Costa Mesa were denied

the pleasure for a second straight week.

Meanwhile, Newport Harbor captured its initial victory in its

first contest of the season Thursday, topping visiting Fountain

Valley, 14-7.

Coach Jeff Brinkley, now 16-3-1 in openers at the helm of the

Sailors, believes there may be sweeter victories down the road this

season. But the first one is always the most important.

“Winning the first week is so critical, even more so this year,

because we didn’t play great in the [preseason] scrimmage,” Brinkley

said. “The kids work so hard the whole [off-season]. To go out and

get that first win helps them understand why you work that hard. They

also gain that confidence. Following real good teams [the Tars were

12-1-1 and the CIF Southern Section Division VI runner-up last

season], getting that first win can show the kids that ‘OK, now we’re

the guys.’ Now, hopefully, we can build on that and keep improving.”

* NEWPORT HARBOR: The Sailors (1-0) scored all their points in the

third quarter to take control of a game that was scoreless at

halftime.

Special teams, an even bigger point of emphasis this season for

Brinkley and his staff, got things going when Keith Eldridge blocked

a punt deep in Baron territory.

Eldridge cashed in the turnover with a 25-yard touchdown run and

the Sailors added to the lead when Tom Jackson threw 11 yards to

Billy Brown with 54 seconds left in the third quarter.

Newport’s defense, particularly strong against he run (Fountain

Valley rushed for a mere 53 yards), held on to give the Sailors their

third straight win in a season opener.

Brinkley said focus and concentration in practice allowed the team

to rebound from its disappointing performance in the scrimmage the

week before. He is looking for more of the same, heading into

Friday’s nonleague date with Marina (0-2) a Westminster High.

“We certainly can’t forget what made us play better last week,”

Brinkley said. “We need to have the same type of concentration and

hard work this week.”

Brinkley lamented his teams two lost fumbles, but was pleased in

virtually all other aspects, particularly his team’s 222 rushing

yards.

Junior tailback Jasen Ruiz had 123 yards on 23 carries, his best

performance at the varsity level, while Eldridge chipped in 51 yards

on nine attempts and senior fullback Jack Tracy added 54 yards on

five carries.

“I told Jack the old fullbacks who played here are going to be

jealous, because he got more carries in one game than they got in

about half a season,” Brinkley said.

* SAGE HILL: A defensive adjustment was a key reason behind the

Lightning’s 32-19 nonleague win over visiting Saddleback Valley

Christian Thursday night.

The Lightning, utilizing a five-two, instead of their typical

four-four, held scrambling Warriors’ quarterback Brendan Chambers in

check.

Sage had scouted SVC in its season opener and watched video of

Chambers run for four touchdowns and throw for another. So, Lightning

Coach Tom Monarch moved senior cornerback Keya Manshadi up to more of

an outside linebacker position, with junior linebacker Don Ayres on

the other outside post.

With the new alignment, Sage held the Warriors to minus-15 yards

from scrimmage in the first half and 128 offensive yards total.

Chambers rushed 18 times for 19 yards and no TDs, quite a

difference from his 133-yard rushing performance in the opener

against Capistrano Valley Christian.

“From scouting them the week prior, we realized their offense

depended on two things,” Monarch said. “Their whole offense was

structured on Chambers getting outside and either running or

passing.”

And while the defense held the Warriors in check, Manshadi and

Ayres went to work carving up the SVC defense on the ground. Manshadi

rushed for 204 yards and a TD, while Ayres gained 105 yards and

scored two TDs.

The Lightning will attempt to open the season 3-0 for the first

time in their four varsity seasons when they travel to San Diego

County to face Midway Baptist (1-1), Friday at 4 p.m.

* CORONA DEL MAR: The Sea Kings (2-0) held a second straight

opponent to 2 yards rushing as senior noseguard John Fairbanks and

senior end Matt Burgner virtually inserted themselves into Costa

Mesa’s spread-formation backfield in a 37-7 nonleague triumph Friday

at Newport Harbor High.

Dominant play by Fairbanks and Burgner (three sacks) is hardly

unexpected, but Sea Kings Coach Dick Freeman said the soild

contributions from a 25-player rotation has given the program a level

of depth it did not foresee, heading into the season.

“We’ve got some young guys who have improved by leaps and bounds

and are coming along better than we thought they would,” Freeman

said.

Freemen singled out sophomore offensive linemen Max Prescott and

James McKennon, as well as sophomore outside linebacker Erik Rask as

those foremost among the youth movement.

The emergence of the sophomores and juniors, however, has kept the

Sea Kings from playing junior varsity games the first two weeks.

Freeman said he could foresee canceling all his school’s junior

varsity contests this season, which would be a first.

Freeman said junior linebacker and fullback Austin Ray’s injured

knee could be more than a contusion.

“They think there may be a strained [medial collateral] ligament,

but they won’t know for a day or so,” Freeman said.

CdM should face its stiffest test to date Friday when it plays

host to Troy (0-1) at Newport Harbor.

* ESTANCIA: The Eagles were physically overmatched by Huntington

Park (1-0) in a 23-6 loss Thursday that dropped Estancia to 0-2.

But first-year coach Brian Barnes said there were many positives

that emerged.

“I think we found ourselves a running back,” Barnes said of junior

tailback Edgar Vargas, who carried four times for 19 yards.

Barnes cited continued productivity in the passing game, where

senior quarterback Ryan Watson completed 8 of 16 for 107 yards and a

touchdown and junior receiver Matt Redding made three catches for 87

yards, including a 75-yard scoring reception.

Barnes, however, said much progress needs to be made on the

offensive front, to help the Eagles establish a much-needed rushing

attack.

Estancia has just 24 rushing yards in two games so far.

Senior receiver-cornerback Ezequiel Villalvazo, who was suspected

of sustaining a concussion in the opener, incurred the same injury

Thursday and is expected to be out this week, Barnes said.

The Eagles visit Buena Park (0-1) Friday at 7 p.m.

* COSTA MESA: Surgery is likely for senior tailback Tyler Legg,

who left the loss to CdM in the second quarter with what was believed

to be a dislocated right ankle, Mesa Coach Jay Johnson said.

That, combined with the continued absence of senior quarterback

Ryan French (shoulder injury), created some offensive struggles

against the Sea Kings.

“I don’t think it was our scheme as much as our execution,” said

Johnson, who shifted senior slot receiver Tony Krikorian to

quarterback, where he split time with converted sophomore receiver

Cody Waldron.

The Mustangs visit Huntington Beach (0-1) Thursday at 7 p.m.

-- Chris Yemma contributed to

this story