Shadowlands

Looking back, 5 years ago this week.

With a dominant run defense, the Costa Mesa High football team upsets

crosstown rival Estancia, 17-0 at Newport Harbor High. “Our kids played

real aggressively,” said Costa Mesa Coach Jerry Howell, who labels the

win as his biggest in 17 games at the Mustangs’ helm. “Estancia didn’t

give up The Bell (perpetual trophy awarded to the intracity rivalry’s

annual winner); we had to take it from them.” The Mustangs’ swarming

nine-man front allows just two rushing gains of more than 10 yards, with

a high of 18 by James Dawkins, who enters as the fourth-leading rusher in

Orange County, averaging more than 10 yards per carry. Mesa senior inside

linebacker Julius Vasquez leads the defensive charge, which also includes

a front wall of Donny Causey, Jeremy Via, Israel Leal, Jeremy Siedsma.

Steve Herzog, who also plays linebacker, runs for 92 yards and two

touchdowns on 22 carries.

Nick Hood comes to the rescue with defensive efforts to lead the

Corona del Mar football team to a 14-10 victory over Woodbridge at Irvine

High. Hood’s 63-yard interception return for a touchdown near the end of

the third quarter lifts CdM into the lead and ends up being the decisive

score. CdM junior quarterback Mike McClellan finds Tim Thurman alone in

the end zone from 9 yards out to tie the score, 7-7, in the second

quarter. But Woodbridge grabs the lead with a field goal with seven

seconds remaining in the first half.

The Corona del Mar girls tennis team displays its supremacy with an

11-7 nonleague victory at five-time defending CIF Southern Section

Division I champion Peninsula. CdM’s No. 3 doubles team of Ruchika

Budhraja and junior varsity call-up Christine Martinez defeats

Peninsula’s No. 1 team. “That was giant,” CdM Coach Tim Mang said.

Singles players Nina Vaughan and her younger sister Nadia, as well as

Caylan Leslie, sweep their matches to improve their combined record to

99-16 in sets to that point in the season.

Looking back, 10 years ago this week.

The Newport Harbor High girls volleyball team spoils Back Bay rival

Corona del Mar’s dominance in the Sea View League. The Sailors deal CdM

its first Sea View League loss in 16 matches and first home loss in more

than two years. “It’s about time,” said senior Maureen McLaren, after

Newport Harbor puts the finishing touches on a 15-10, 12-15, 18-16, 15-7

victory. The Sailors, ranked No. 5 in the state, avenge an Oct. 8 setback

to the Sea Kings, ranked No. 4 in the state. “Last time we didn’t believe

we could do it and this time we did,” said McLaren, who leads all players

with 18 kills. Senior teammate Tara Kroesch slams 17 and Sally Newberry,

another senior, tallies 11. Newport freshman Misty May, who sits out the

first CdM match with an injured foot, contributes 49 assists and two

service aces. The Sea Kings are led by senior Charmayne Conley and

sophomore Jennifer Stroffe, who record 15 and 11 kills, respectively.

The headline says it all: Tars play smashmouth, 27-0. With a punishing

running attack, the Newport Harbor football team shuts out Back Bay rival

Corona del Mar. Newport tailback Brandon Finney runs wild in the first

half, rushing for 116 yards and one touchdown on 21 carries. He finishes

with 139 yards and the one TD on 30 carries. Quarterback Mike Ofer passes

for two touchdowns, one to Darin Mangnall and the other to Justin

McIntee. Fullback Tony Mancuso rambles 36 yards for a touchdown. “That

was beautiful,” says Brinkley, who equals Al Irwin’s all-time career

victory mark at Harbor with his 37th victory (over five-plus seasons).

The Estancia football team crushes Laguna Beach, 30-0. The Eagles

celebrate after rushing for 200 yards on 43 carries. Junior quarterback

Matt Johner connects on 6 of 13 passes for 101 yards and 45-yard

touchdown to Ty Schisler. Johner also rushes for a 4-yard touchdown.

-- compiled by Steve Virgen