Tars, Eagles, Sage all savor wins

Coming off a CIF Southern Section Division VI title and having reached the section title game seven times the previous 14 years, it can be said that the Newport Harbor High football program knows how to win.

Still, there’s nothing like a season-opening affirmation to that effect, which the Sailors enjoyed by defeating former Sea View League rival Aliso Niguel, 20-0, Friday on the Wolverines’ field.

“I’ve always believed it’s critical to win that first game,” said Newport Harbor Coach Jeff Brinkley, in his 21st year at the Sailors’ helm and now 16-1-1 in his last 18 openers. “It’s a long offseason and we place a lot of demands on the kids to work hard. With summer and double-days and what we ask of them, winning is that justification everyone needs for all that hard work. It’s nice for the kids to experience that satisfaction and gain some confidence.”

Estancia, meanwhile, is coming off a 2-9 season that marked the program’s fifth straight losing campaign. So, to be sitting at 2-0 after a 56-0 whalloping of Bolsa Grande on Friday at Orange Coast College, is both a rewarding and a learning experience, second-year coach Brian Barnes said.

“We’re starting to learn how to win,” said Barnes, who grew up watching, then played for a Los Alamitos High program coached by his father John Barnes, who owns the most victories of any coach in Orange County history.

“The last time this school won a championship [in football] was 1989, when most of our players weren’t even born yet,” Brian Barnes said.

“After that first win [a 44-7 rout of Mark Keppel on Sept. 1], that bus ride back to campus was a little weird. It was like our kids didn’t really know how to enjoy the victory.”

Barnes said there was no such hesitation after Friday’s blowout, the biggest margin of victory in the school’s 42 varsity seasons.

“Winning is tough to do, so you have to enjoy every win,” Barnes said. “I think our guys are learning how to do that.”

Sage Hill School continues to make winning habit. The Lightning, 9-2 last season, including the program’s first CIF playoff win, improved to 2-0 with Friday’s hard-fought 17-14 victory over Saddleback Valley Christian.

Corona del Mar suffered its first defeat, in heart-breaking fashion, when El Toro kicked a 20-yard field goal as time expired in an 18-16 win Friday at Newport Harbor.

Winning is a fading memory at Costa Mesa, where first-year coach Jeremy Osso is trying to keep his players’ chins up, after beginning 0-2 and following a pair of 2-8 seasons.

Here’s a look at each school after the second week of action:

Friday night at Newpoort Harbor, Estancia meets a Buena Park program that has lost six straight, though the Coyotes (0-1) topped Estancia, 17-8, last season.

“We’re trying to take this season one game at a time,” Barnes said. “I told our kids after the first game, we were 1-9, but we had a chance to change that. Now, we’re 2-8. I ask them if they want to finish that way.”

Barnes said his team’s fast start has featured two strong defensive performances, which he attributes to first-year coordinator Robert Trice.

Trice was the Eagles’ offensive coordinator in 2005, but shifted roles to take over the defense when Wayne Schmida, who ran the defense last year, left for Lakewood High.

“We’ve simplified things,” Barnes said of the difference on defense this season. “Kids were thinking a little too much last year. This year, they’re just reacting to the football.”

The shutout Friday was Estancia’s first in 20 games, since it blanked Buena Park, 19-0, in the third game of the 2004 season.

Offensively, the Eagles have produced 840 yards of offense in two games, nearly half of last year’s total (1,968). Further, with 264 rushing yards on Friday, Estancia now has 433 yards on the ground in two games, eclipsing last season’s total of 352.

“They got off the ball extremely well and kind of got us in a situation where we were playing in their backfield,” Brinkley said. “We did a good job stopping the run.”

Calabrese was particularly dominant, Brinkley said.

Offensively, the quarterback platoon of Kevin Williams and Stephen Peterson combined for 11 completions and 86 yards on 18 attempts.

Junior tailback Ben Frazier rushed for 87 yards and two touchdowns in his first varsity start, while senior 382-pound right tackle Frank Muscatello led a solid effort by the offensive line.

The Sailors (1-0) renew another rivalry Friday at former Sea View League foe Irvine (1-1).

Junior Max Torres carried 24 times for 101 yards and junior Tom Multari added 73 yards on 18 carries, including the clinching touchdown from two yards out with 5:29 left in the third quarter.

The Lightning enjoy a bye week, during which Ayres’ separated shoulder is expected to heal sufficiently enough for him to return for the Sept. 22 nonleague home clash with Western Christian.

“Defensively, that was one of the best jobs we’ve done,” said Freeman, in his 11th season. “We really had people flowing to the ball and we didn’t miss tackles.”

Junior twin linebackers Erik (18 tackles) and Kevin Rask combined to amass 30 tackles to help virtually eliminate any big plays by the Chargers (1-0).

Freeman credited his players, particularly in the trenches, for standing up to a bigger El Toro lineup.

“We knew we were going to be looking up at them,” Freeman said. “But I told our guys they had to get over that. You can find people elsewhere who have success without being really big. Look at De La Salle (of Concord, Calif.). They have a bunch of 210-pounders, but they step up and do what they need to do.

“We tell our kids we’re going to use their speed. We’re not going to ask them to drive their guy backward. But we don’t want them to be driven backward, either.”

Freeman said Erik Rask’s thigh bruise led to him getting no carries at running back Friday.

Freeman also said Kevin Rask sustained a lower leg injury that they are hoping is not a stress fracture.

Freeman said junior noseguard Stephen Deverian sustained a strained knee.

“[Deverian] was pretty sore on Saturday, but we don’t think it is anything serious,” Freeman said.

“Confidence is a big thing in high school football,” Osso said. And losing, as well as winning, becomes contagious.”

Osso said he is constantly trying to pump up his players, setting short-term goals to help them salvage something positive even when the scoreboard is offering little encouragement.

“Against Rancho, it was wanting to win the second half, which we came close to doing (Rancho outscored them, 21-12, after intermission),” Osso said. “I’m trying to get our guys to realize this season can still be different from last season. I think some kids believe that and some kids don’t.”

Osso said junior tailback-linebacker Cody De La Mater will have surgery to repair a torn meniscus, which should put him out for the next six games.

Huntington Beach (2-0) is next, Friday at OCC.