Prep football: Tars’ defense rules

Barry Faulkner

IRVINE - Without final statistics or time for thoughtful

reflection, Newport Harbor High football coach Jeff Brinkley stopped

short of calling a 36-8 Sea View League thumping of Woodbridge his

defense’s best effort of the season Thursday at Irvine High.

Instead, he answered an inquiry on the subject with a two-word

synopsis, which directly opposed the thought process his defensive unit

imposed on the Warriors: “It’s possible.”

Little was possible for the hosts, who earned a delay penalty for

being five minutes late for the opening kickoff and seemingly marched

backward until Harbor sent in the subs early in the final period.

Woodbridge’s offense accumulated 34 yards by halftime, then tacked on

two more in the third quarter, when the Sailors (6-2, 2-1 in league)

upped their 16-point halftime cushion to 23-0.

Woodbridge’s first 11 possessions, 10 of which ended in punts

(including one that was blocked) and the other in a safety, averaged 3.3

plays and 88 seconds as the Tars flirted with their first shutout of the

season until Woodbridge (3-5, 1-1) scored against the reserves with 1:04

left.

The Warriors’ did not move past their own 37 until the final TD drive,

entering Harbor territory for the first time on their 44th offensive

play.

Senior ends Garrett Troncale, who had missed two of the last three

games with a sprained right ankle, and Ian Banigan were in on three

quarterback sacks, while senior tackle Nick Moghaddam shared another.

Linebackers Alan Saenz, Chris Manderino and Andy Rankin, noseguard

C.J. Collins, and the secondary of safeties David Sprenger and Dane

Barton, as well as cornerbacks Brian Gaeta and Ryan Spruth, yielded

little else.

“We’ve been playing real good defense most of the year,” Brinkley

said. “Coming into the year, we thought (defense) was what we were going

to have to hang our hat on. And we played very well on defense tonight.”

Woodbridge posted just one first down the first 36 minutes, doubling

that total after the Sailors had built a 30-0 bulge.

Newport earned that edge with its trademark methodical offense, which

also mixed in a couple big pass plays to loosen up the Woodbridge 46

scheme.

Manderino hammered away for 109 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries

at tailback, while senior backup Ryan Ortega spelled him with 49 yards on

eight attempts.

Two possessions after a Woodbridge punt snap sailed out of the end

zone to open the scoring with 4:09 left in the first quarter, Harbor got

it going when junior quarterback Morgan Craig hit Gaeta on a 42-yard

sideline streak to the Woodbridge 17-yard line.

Four plays latter, Manderino barreled in for the 2-yard TD six seconds

into the second period and the route was on.

Gaeta caught a 6-yard out from Craig with 2:41 left in the half, then

kicked the second of his four PATs to make it 16-0 at the break.

Newport drove 58 yards on 10 plays for a touchdown with its first

second-half possession. The key play was a 36-yard play-action strike

from Craig to tight end Joe Foley to the Woodbridge 22.

Fullback Travis Trimble capped the march by fielding a 2-yard pass

from Craig on fourth-and-goal with 6:06 left in the third quarter.

Manderino added a 4-yard TD run and David Marshall found the end zone

from 7 yards out to cap the Harbor scoring.

Craig, who had several potential big gains dribble off the hands of

receivers, finished 8 of 19 for 97 yards and two TDs.

Gaeta had six receptions for 72 yards.

Woodbridge’s final drive appeared to be yet another three-and-out, but

Harbor was flagged for too many players on the field in punt formation,

giving the Warriors a first down. From there, they completed the 13-play,

83-yard scoring drive when backup Diego Torres rumbled around the left

side to paydirt. He added the two-point conversion run.