Experience on Tars’ side?

CIF Division VI football title game previewSimilarities abound between Newport Harbor and Valencia heading into CIF Division VI title clash.Based on statistics, coaching philosophies, personnel and results, the similarities between the two football teams squaring off in tonight’s CIF Southern Section Division VI championship game present a challenge to those intent on determining what might make the difference.

But if the aforementioned credentials were viewed as a resume, the Sailors (10-3) might earn the advantage over the Tigers (12-1) by virtue of experience.

Newport Harbor, seeking the school’s third section championship in its seventh title-game appearance in 14 seasons, starts 19 seniors in 22 positions on offense and defense.

Valencia, aiming for the school’s fourth section crown in its seventh trip to a final during Coach Mike Marrujo’s distinguished 25-season tenure, boasts just 14 seniors among its 22 starting spots.

Newport Harbor might also benefit from having experienced the atmosphere surrounding a championship game. The Sailors were defeated, 35-6, by Orange Lutheran in last season’ Division VI final at Angel Stadium.

The Sailors will leave the Sea View League and enter the Sunset League next season. The Sunset League has competed in Division I.

Valencia has not been to the finals since 1992 and this year’s returners were eliminated in the first round of the 2004 playoffs.

But that may be the most discernible difference between the two. Elsewhere, the mirror image is striking.

* Both teams shared their respective league championships with two other teams.

* Both are led by respected veteran coaches who share 439 victories between them. Brinkley, in his 20th season at the helm of the Sailors after previous stops at Norwalk and Excelsior, has 204 career wins.

* Both have displayed balanced offenses, but both prefer to pound opponents with their running game whenever possible.

* Both have shown disciplined, physical defenses averse to surrendering big plays. They take pride in forcing foes to string together long drives to reach the end zone.

* Both have posted almost proportionally identical scores against their three common opponents.

Newport Harbor defeated El Dorado, 32-31, while Valencia topped the Golden Hawks, 17-16.

Newport handled Irvine, 34-14, and Valencia trounced the Vaqueros, 31-0.

Finally, Newport earned a 33-13 triumph over a Laguna Hills squad that Valencia defeated, 35-13, just one week later.

* Both feature talented and productive players at the offensive skill positions.

* Both have knocked off seeded teams to get this far.

Valencia counts No. 1-seeded Mayfair and No. 4-seeded Kennedy among its playoff victims. Newport Harbor dispatched No. 3-seeded Charter Oak in the quarterfinals, then blanked Tustin, which had ended No. 2-seeded Orange Lutheran’s season in the first round.

Newport Harbor’s nonleague schedule included some missteps, specifically back-to-back losses to Dana Hills and Mira Costa. But the Sailors are 7-1 since senior tailback Ryan Rippon returned to the starting lineup after reconstructive surgery on his left anterior cruciate ligament.

Rippon, who missed the first four games, has 1,628 yards and 13 touchdowns on just 204 rushing attempts. He is averaging nearly 8 yards per carry. In his last four games, he is averaging nearly 230 yards and has scored 10 touchdowns on the ground. He rumbled for 300 yards on 30 carries against Tustin.

In addition to his statistics, Rippon is the acknowledged inspirational leader of the team, credited with continually pumping up his teammates before and during competition.

Rippon operates behind an all-senior offensive line that averages 6-foot-2 1/2 , 257 pounds. The group is anchored by 6-4, 332-pound left tackle Charles Schultz and 6-0, 259-pound right guard Billy Munce.

Senior Tom Jackson is also a respected leader at quarterback. He has thrown for 1,331 yards and 19 touchdowns with only six interceptions. He has completed 102 of 201 passes (50.7%).

The Sailors’ leading receivers have been senior James Coder (36 catches for 371 yards and three touchdowns) and junior Jarrett Daniel (29 receptions for 512 yards and 10 touchdowns). Daniel is the Tars’ lone junior starter on offense.

Senior fullback Jack Tracy, senior receiver James Coder, Schultz and senior guard Alex Flores all started in 2004.

Valencia’s offense features sophomore tailback Wes Fletcher, senior quarterback Luis Cruz and senior receiver Ray Magee. The Tigers, like the Sailors, use the I-formation as their base with some one-back sets.

Fletcher, sidelined with a concussion in the second quarter of the Tigers’ 19-13 semifinal win over Empire League rival Kennedy, is expected to start. He has rushed for 1,722 yards and 17 touchdowns on 256 carries this season.

Cruz has thrown for 1,815 yards and 23 touchdowns. He has completed 119 of 184 passes (64.7%) with only five interceptions.

Magee has 57 receptions for 1,035 yards and 13 touchdowns this season. At 6-4, he poses a physical challenge to a Newport secondary that has no one taller than 6-1.

“[Magee] is the key to our offense,” Cruz said. “When teams double cover him, we run the ball; and when they have just one guy on him, we try to throw to him.”

Magee also starts at free safety, making him one of four Tigers to start both ways.

Jackson, who starts at free safety but is frequently rested on defense, is the Sailors’ lone two-way starter.

Junior middle linebacker Nick Frazier leads the Newport Harbor defense with 118 tackles, followed by 107 stops recorded by senior outside linebacker David Rosales.

Senior noseguard Delano McKenzie and junior end Mike Calabrese share the team lead with seven sacks, while senior cornerback Fernando Lara has a team-high five interceptions, including three in the playoffs.

Jackson and senior tackle Ryan Uhl both started on defense as juniors.

Inside linebackers Alex Garcia and Jessie Camarena are Valencia’s leading tacklers. Senior outside ‘backer Torres has a team-high eight sacks.

Fletcher and Camarena are among three players with two interceptions to lead the team.

Valencia’s D.J. Russell had made 8 of 11 field-goal attempts, while Newport has just one field goal in three tries.

Newport Harbor should have an edge in the punting game. Frazier is averaging 39.5 yards on nine punts in three playoff games, including a 56-yarder against Tustin.

Valencia’s Felipe Gonzalez averaged just 24.2 yards on five punts in the semifinal.

“I think we’re so close, whoever plays the best in terms of mistakes is going to win the football game,” Marrujo said.

Newport Harbor is plus-seven in turnover margin, plus-six in the playoffs.

This is the fourth meeting between Valencia and Newport Harbor. Valencia won the first three, all in the playoffs. The most recent meeting was a 35-28 verdict in the Division VI first round in 2002.

The Sailors won CIF titles in 1999 and 1994. They lost in CIF finals in 2004, 2000, 1996, 1992 and 1949.

Valencia’s three section crowns came in 1992, 1991 and 1987. The Tigers were the division runners-up in 1988 and 1986.

SAILORS(10-3)