Two-sport star Orth paying dividends for Sailors

Rick Devereux

In a school that has a deep tradition of athletic success, Newport

Harbor High football coach Jeff Brinkley gave wide receiver/safety

Alex Orth quite a compliment.

“He is one of the best all-around athletes on campus,� he said.

“He is extremely athletic.�

The senior is also a standout on the basketball team, but his

abilities on the football field have started to shine.

He is second on the team with 28 receptions for 383 yards.

His seven touchdown catches lead the team.

“My dad was pretty athletic,� Orth said. “And I had an older

sister [Tricia] who played soccer at Newport.�

While athleticism seems to run in the Orth gene pool, even the est

of the family would be impressed with the three-touchdown performance

Alex produced Friday in Newport Harbor’s 35-10 victory over El Dorado

in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division VI playoffs.

Orth caught three passes for 67 yards and two touchdowns and

returned an interception 21 yards for a third touchdown to earn Daily

Pilot Athlete of the Week honors.

The Sailors were pounding on El Dorado with a bruising running

attack and quarterback Kasey Peters found receiver Spencer Link on

short crossing patterns to start the game.

When the Golden Hawks started to crowd the line of scrimmage to

take away the run and the defensive backs started to cheat on the

underneath routes, the time was right for Orth to go deep.

Peters connected with Orth on a 50-yard touchdown pass over the

middle to give Newport a 21-3 lead in the second quarter.

“It was a play we practiced a lot,� Orth said. “Kasey faked a

pitch to [running back] Trevor [Theriot], and then he threw a perfect

ball right to me on the post. El Dorado was lining up really far to

[anticipate the run play].

“Their safety came up on the fake and I was pretty much all

alone.�

While the 50-yard touchdown might be explained as good coaching

and the right play call at the right time, Orth’s second touchdown

showcased the 6-foot-2 receiver’s athleticism.

On second-and-goal from the 7, Orth ran a 10-yard out route.

The cornerback covering him was in perfect position to bat down

any ball thrown his way, but Peter’s rifled a pass toward the

sideline where only a diving Orth could make the grab.

The horizontal touchdown catch put Newport up, 28-3, at halftime.

“That [catch] was one of my highlights this year,� Orth said.

Even though he has made other diving catches this season, Orth was

impressed with that one because it was in the playoffs.

“I’m really proud that we made it to the second round [of the

playoffs],� he said.

“We get to practice on Thanksgiving with our alumni, which is

something I’ve wanted to do ever since I was a freshman.�

Orth wasn’t finished scoring touchdowns, though.

On El Dorado’s first possession of the third quarter, Orth stepped

in front of a pass and returned it 21 yards for a score that put the

game far out of reach.

“On the interception, I turned around and the ball was right

there,� he said.

“It was kind of a matter of being in the right place at the right

time.�

He may want to write off the pick-for-six as pure chance, but

Orth’s work ethic has given him the opportunity to succeed.

“I watch a lot of film on the other team,� Orth said.

“I watch film before the game because it helps me visualize what

team likes to do in certain formations and sets.�