Foothill a thorn in Sailors’ side

Newport grid pre vs. FoothillNewport Harbor has yet to beat Sea View League foe in three tries.Since joining the Sea View League in 2002, Foothill High has been more of a mountain to the Newport Harbor football program.

The Sailors, who play host to the Knights at 7 p.m. Friday in a crucial Sea View League game, are 0-2-1 against Foothill the last three seasons.

Last year’s 10-10 deadlock was the only regular-season blemish for the Tars, who went on to win the league championship, reach the CIF Southern Section Division VI title game and finish 12-1-1.

This season, Newport Harbor (4-2, 1-0 in league) -- ranked No. 9 in CIF Division VI -- is hoping to drop Foothill (4-2, 1-0) from the ranks of the Sea View leaders, which includes Laguna Hills.

“It’s a very good football team,” Newport Harbor Coach Jeff Brinkley said of Foothill, whose losses came against Tesoro and Mater Dei.

Coach Doug Case’s Knights are on a three-game winning steak, including a 22-21 upset of Santa Margarita on Oct. 7. They defeated Irvine, 40-8, in last week’s league opener.

“It’s another big challenge for us,” Brinkley said. “We rose up and played well against a very good Mira Costa team [a 23-20 nonleague overtime loss] in a big game. Now, we have to be the team that is playing well. We have to get to that next level and find a way to get over the hump and beat somebody who is playing really well and is highly touted in our league.”

To do so, Newport must find a way to slow senior tailback John Liti. The 5-foot-8, 205-pounder -- whose older brother Mike set a school single-season rushing record with 2,345 yards in 2002 -- has produced 790 yards and 11 touchdowns on 117 carries this season.

“He’s a tough runner with thick legs, kind of like Maurice Drew at UCLA,” Brinkley said.

The Knights’ skill-position cast includes 6-5 senior receiver Steve Gonzales and 6-4 junior quarterback Brendan Clarke. Gonzales has 34 catches for 677 yards and three touchdowns this fall, while Clarke has completed 62 of 110 passes for 904 yards and four touchdowns, with only two interceptions.

Newport is paced offensively by senior tailback Ryan Rippon and senior quarterback Tom Jackson. Rippon, who missed the first four games recovering from knee surgery, has 252 yards on 30 carries the last two games.

Jackson has completed 59 of 118 passes for 589 yards and nine touchdowns. He has thrown five interceptions.

The Sailors’ receiving corps is led by junior Jarrett Daniel (17 catches for 239 yards and five touchdowns) and senior James Coder (18 catches for 198 yards and two touchdowns).

20051020TU1K2RRQNo Caption20051020iomxiaknKENT TREPTOW / DAILY PILOT(LA)Clockwise from left, Newport Harbor’s David Rosales (23), Jayme Ohlhaver (50), and Delano McKenzie (27) bring down Woodbridge’s David Ingram during last Friday’s game.