Tars try to right the ship Friday

Having suffered its first loss in 18 preleague games last week

against Dana Hills High, the Newport Harbor High football team was

jostled from its familiar comfort zone.

And when Mira Costa visits Friday at 7 p.m., the Sailors also

figure to be drawn out of their traditional four-three defense.

“We’re going to have to make some adjustments,” Sailors Coach Jeff

Brinkley said. “[The Mustangs] spread you out and run a lot of empty

sets [no one in the backfield, but the quarterback].”

The Sailors (3-1), ranked No. 7 in CIF Southern Section Division

VI, encountered some difficulty with the spread offense run by Dana

Hills, which rolled to a 39-13 win behind speedy quarterback Dana

Schwartz. It was the biggest margin of defeat in a nonleague game

since 1997 for the Sailors.

But, Brinkley believes, Mira Costa (4-0), ranked No. 4 in CIF

Division III, could pose a tougher challenge than even that supplied

by the Dolphins.

“I said before last week that Dana Hills was the best team we’ve

faced, to date,” Brinkley said. “Probably, Mira Costa is now the best

team.”

The Sailors have not lost back-to-back nonleague games since 1995.

That season, the Tars fell to Foothill (not a member of the Sea View

League then), 28-14, in Week 3 and dropped a 15-14 verdict to Canyon

in Week 4. That 1995 team was one of only two Newport units in the

last 16 seasons not to make the playoffs.

“This is disappointing for everyone and we’re not used to being in

this situation,” Brinkley said. “It’s not a good feeling, but we’ve

got to regroup and try to get better this week.”

Brinkley said his team has had trouble putting all three phases --

offense, defense and special teams -- together in the same game.

Last week, it was the defense that struggled, while the offense

performed quite well, particularly in the running game.

Senior Jack Tracy, a former fullback who has settled into the

tailback spot, rushed for 197 yards on 15 carries, behind a strong

performance by the offensive line.

“That was probably our offensive line’s best game of the season,”

Brinkley said.

Tracy has 450 yards and two touchdowns on 55 carries, operating

behind a blocking wall anchored by 6-foot-4, 332-pound senior left

tackle Charles Schultz.

Senior Tom Jackson has thrown for 403 yards and five TDs,

completing 38 of 76 with three interceptions.

Junior Jarrett Daniel is the leading receiver with 14 receptions

for 129 yards and three TDs, while senior James Coder has 12 catches

for 150 yards and one TD.

Mira Costa is fueled by quarterback Kevin Romero, who has thrown

for 976 yards and 13 TDs (completing 69 of 102 with four

interceptions).

Ian Wandler (17 catches for 413 yards and four TDs) and Bruce

Robinson (19 catches for 285 yards and five TDs) lead a receiving

corps Brinkley said is big and physical.

NEWPORT STARTERS

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OFFENSE

No. Player Ht. Wt. Yr. Po.

4 Tom Jackson 6-1 185 Sr. QB 32 Jack Tracy 6-2 220 Sr. TB

19 Nick Frazier 5-11 210 Jr. FB 5 James Coder 6-0 180 Sr. WR

8 Jarrett Daniel 6-0 170 Jr. WR

22 Billy Brown 6-3 210 Sr. TE

77 Charles Schultz 6-4 332 Sr. LT

76 Alex Flores 6-2 206 Sr. LG

52 Lou Truxton 6-1 211 Sr. C

56 Erik Ray 6-3 210 Sr. RG

78 Matt McCullough 6-5 275 Sr. RT

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DEFENSE

No. Player Ht. Wt. Yr. Po.

50 Jayme Ohlhaver 5-11 187 Sr. DE 95 Ryan Uhl 6-0 270 Sr. NG

55 Mike Calabrese 6-1 221 Jr. DT 40 Scott Andrews 6-1 201 Sr. DE 22 Billy Brown 6-3 210 Sr. LB

32 Jack Tracy 6-1 220 Sr. LB 23 David Rosales 5-10 205 Sr. LB 8 Jarrett Daniel 6-0 170 Jr. CB

9 Keith Eldridge 5-9 152 Sr. CB

5 James Coder 6-0 180 Sr. SS

6 Brett Green 6-0 180 Sr. FS

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