Prep column: It doesn’t get better than this

Barry Faulkner

When was the last time you pumped your fist in public? Or hugged

someone not on your Christmas list?

I saw plenty of both taking place immediately following Newport Harbor

High’s 35-16 CIF Southern Section Division VI football semifinal victory

over top-seeded La Mirada Saturday at the Sailors’ field.

It was yet another example of how prep sports can lift human

existence, emotionally jar one from his/her daily grind, and leave a

lasting memory that should, upon reflection, prompt a satisfied smile.

Either Newport Harbor or Irvine will be similarly exultant after

Friday’s Division VI title game, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Orange Coast

College.

But both should thoroughly enjoy the experience, regardless of the

outcome, as should those rooters expected to exceed LeBard Stadium’s

7,600 seating capacity.

Newport Coach Jeff Brinkley, who’ll be gunning for his third section

crown in his fifth championship game since 1992, hopes to squeeze in

enough time to take in the surroundings Friday night.

After Harbor’s 19-18 triumph over Irvine in last year’s Division VI

title game, Brinkley said he regretted not having soaked in the euphoria

displayed by the celebrating Harbor fans as the final minutes ticked off

the clock.

“I tell myself I need to enjoy it a little more,” Brinkley said.

“Watching myself on film toward the end of last year’s game, I was still

focused on the game. I hope it’s enjoyable for the kids and it should be

for us coaches, too.”

Irvine Coach Terry Henigan, speaking at Monday’s press conference

luncheon for all the Southern Section finalists, offered a surprising

take on last year’s final. The Vaqueros led, 12-0 and 18-6, had another

touchdown nullified by penalty and had one of its running backs stumble

and fall after beating the last Harbor defender, only to see the Sailors

prevail.

“I was probably as ill as I’ve ever been with any loss, immediately

after the game,” Henigan said. “But, 10 minutes later, I loved it. It was

such a great high school football game, between two classy programs that

don’t know how to quit. It was one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve

had in coaching.”

Henigan, 132-90-5 in his 20th season as Irvine’s head man, has had

many enjoyable experiences, including three straight section titles from

1991-93. But, he has never had an unbeaten campaign, something this

year’s Sea View League champions hope to finish out Friday.

Henigan’s work load has expanded this season. He continues to coach

special teams, but is also calling the offensive plays, after offensive

coordinator Erik Terry left the staff following last season. He has also

assumed the school’s boys athletic director job, which Terry held.

Irvine’s seniors went 10-0 as freshmen, were the primary contributors

to a 9-0-1 junior varsity season in 1998, were on last year’s 10-3-1

Division VI runner-up and have not lost yet this fall. It is, many

believe, the final deep and talented athletic class the school will have,

since it is now losing many would-be student-athletes to newly opened

Northwood.

Henigan, however, is unmoved by the doomsayers.

“We’ve had a lot of years we weren’t in the CIF finals,” Henigan said.

“In public schools, you’re going to have cycles, when it comes to

athletes. If you don’t have down cycles, there’s usually a good reason,

like you’re enrollment is too big. We may have some tough years, but I

believe we’ll have some good years in the future, too.”

Irvine may not be the only program facing an increasingly difficult

competitive landscape. With the releaguing process set to begin shortly,

aligning schools for athletic competition beginning the fall of 2002,

there is a growing sentiment to take Newport Harbor out of the Sea View

League. Among the scenarios being discussed is a Newport return to the

Sunset League.

Friday’s football game will reunite more than familiar rivals. Newport

Harbor senior defensive end Ian Banigan and senior offensive tackle Scott

Lopez, will, once again, share the field with Irvine senior

receiver-running back Dave Doomey. All three were teammates last season

at Santa Margarita High.

A key to Irvine’s 19-14 victory over Harbor in the Oct. 13 Sea View

opener was the play of its special teams.

A 19-yard shanked punt, a blocked punt and a 69-yard kickoff return to

start the second half, resulted in the only Irvine possessions that began

in Sailor territory that night, and led to 16 points.

Henigan said his special teams’ prowess came after adopting schemes

perfected by Santa Margarita Coach Jim Hartigan.

“I saw Hartigan talk about special teams at a couple clinics and we

ended up stealing ours from him,” Henigan said. “It has really made a

difference.”

The return of a couple injured seniors made a big difference for

Newport Harbor against La Mirada. Defensive tackle Nick Moghaddam, who

had been sidelined with a bad knee, played well in the trenches.

Receiver Mitch Gray, who broke his collarbone in the regular-season

finale, returned and caught a 42-yard bomb to set up a second-quarter

touchdown.

The Sailors initiated scores of huge hits Saturday, but one forceful

blow struck by Manderino came at the expense of Harbor quarterback Morgan

Craig.

After Craig lofted a perfect strike to Gray on the aforementioned

bomb, Manderino sprinted over to Craig, jumped on him, then whacked the

side of his helmet with an open right palm.

“He likes to mug me,” Craig said.

Unlike previous years, overtime will ensue if Friday’s CIF title game

is tied after four quarters. The format is similar to that used in

college, with teams alternating possessions from their opponent’s 25-yard

line. Teams can make first downs and play will continue until one team

emerges with more points in an equal number of possessions.

The Southern Section Council’s vote to stop awarding a co-championship

after regulation deadlocks, was brought on by last year’s Division I

sister-kisser between Mater Dei and Long Beach Poly.