Newport ready to open up

In a hurry, not much time to talk about Newport Harbor High’s Sunset League opener tonight at 7 against visiting Fountain Valley.

Coach Jeff Brinkley had plans Thursday.

“Esperanza,” he said of the team his staff prepared to scout that night.

A familiar opponent, the same one the Sailors opened league with last year. Doubters figured they’d get bounced in their new league, robust compared to the Sea View League and many others. A CIF Southern Section Division VI championship the year before, but were the Sailors ready?

They came out and won to the surprise of many. Then the Sailors shocked their fans, missing the postseason for the first time after making it seven straight years. Did they stumble the rest of the way? Brinkley thinks otherwise.

“We were 3-2. I wouldn’t say we struggled,” he said of their league finish behind Los Alamitos (3-2) and Esperanza and Edison, which each finished 4-1. “We lost to Los Alamitos, 9-7, otherwise we would’ve won the league. I don’t consider that struggling. We know this is a tough league and everybody’s scoring points it seems like.

“We just have to hopefully play defense and keep doing what we did last week offensively.”

Brinkley praised Fountain Valley (4-1), which is averaging 41.2 points per game, as if it were the New England Patriots prolific offense.

If it’s a shootout, the Sailors (4-1) should be ready. They played a competitive nonleague schedule, with games against Long Beach Poly, ranked No. 3 in the Pac-5 Division, Mira Costa and Dana Hills, preparing them for league.

The Sailors will get a boost today, too. Brinkley said he’d have senior tailback Ben Frazier back from a knee injury suffered in the 41-7 win against cross-town rival Corona del Mar on Sept. 20. Brinkley said Frazier will start after Danny Miller rushed for 229 yards and one touchdown on 25 carries in last week’s 39-30 win at Mira Costa.

Also, backup Michael Helfrich, will move back to safety and Brinkley said his shoulder feels better. As for wide receiver Cecil Whiteside, Brinkley said the sophomore will suit up.

“Hopefully he’ll play,” said Brinkley after Whiteside missed last week’s game due to a bruised biceps. “Fountain Valley is much improved [from last year’s 1-4 league record]. We were able to run the ball for a substantial amount of yardage last year. I think Helfrich had like 250 [yards and three touchdowns] or something against them. I think the team feels like anybody that we got in there is going to be capable to run the ball.”

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at david.carrillo@latimes.com.