Prep football: Sailors’ starters go the distance

Barry Faulkner

NEWPORT BEACH - Newport Harbor High football coach Jeff Brinkley

believes winning the Sea View League football championship is a full-time

job.

After Friday’s 14-9 victory at Aliso Niguel, the Sailor players would

have to agree.

“I think there are going to be games like that, as you go through this

thing, where guys are going to have to play 48 minutes,� Brinkley said of

the Sea View schedule, which kicked off Friday against the Wolverines and

continues Friday against Irvine’s Vaqueros.

“We had some guys who haven’t had to play four quarters of football

since Week I. But in this league, you’re going to be challenged and

you’re going to have to do that. Friday night gave our guys a feel for

what it’s going to be like.�

The fired-up hosts nearly gave the Sailors (5-0-1), ranked No. 5 in

Orange County and No. 2 in CIF Southern Section Division VI, a sinking

feeling, rallying from a 14-0 halftime deficit to put the Harbor faithful

on the edge of their seats.

But for some defensive heroics -- a third-quarter interception in the

end zone by junior safety Mike McDonald and punt-forcing third-down sacks

by senior middle linebacker Cory Ray and senior defensive end David

Marshall on back-to-back fourth-quarter series -- as well as some big

plays by the offense to move the chains and run out the clock, the Tars

may have been denied only their second win in their last seven Sea View

openers.

“We struggled in some areas, which concerns me,� Brinkley said. “We

let the momentum get away from us in the second half, which is

uncharacteristic. And we put the ball on the ground (a third-quarter

fumble Aliso recovered at the Harbor 38, two plays after a reverse pass

cut the margin to 14-7). Any time you let a team back in the game, and

the longer they stay around, the more they start believing they have a

chance to beat you. The longer that goes on, the more they believe.�

Ultimately, Brinkley said his belief in his defense led him to become

more conservative with his second-half play-calling Friday.

“Our plan, going in, was to run the ball and get (Dartangan Johnson)

going,� Brinkley said. “As the game went on, I became pretty conservative

about throwing the ball, because I knew our defense had the ability to

shut them down. I figured as long as we didn’t shoot ourselves in the

foot, (Aliso) would have a hard time getting in the end zone.�

Brinkley’s belief that his offense could succeed on the ground proved

out, as Johnson finished with 204 yards on 34 carries and senior

quarterback Morgan Craig added another 77, including a 23-yard scoring

sneak, on 11 attempts.

Johnson’s output gives him 1,027 rushing yards for the season. None

have been any more crucial than the 46-yard burst he broke off on the

Tars’ next-to-last series. The run, one snap after Steven Berneking had

pinned the Tars at their own 7-yard line with another of his booming

punts, allowed Harbor to move into Aliso territory. The Tars punted five

plays later, but Aliso took possession at its own 36 and never got

farther than the Sailors’ 44.

Aliso punted the ball away with 2:50 left and Harbor’s offense made

sure the hosts never touched it again.

Getting some touches this week, at least on the practice field, will

be senior Brian Gaeta, out since early in the first game with torn ankle

ligaments.

Brinkley, however, said Gaeta, a returning all-league receiver and a

starter in the secondary, may not see game action for at least another

week, to ensure he’ll be healthy for what could be an extended postseason

run.

Brinkley said senior tight end-nose guard Joe Foley, who sat out

Friday with a sprained ankle, is expected back this week.

Senior offensive tackle John Dobrott, who aggravated a strained right

knee in the fourth quarter, may also be back this week, Brinkley said.