Kinder credits team for his success
Cole Kinder is the kind of standout high school football player you want on your team.
When Thursday should have been all about Kinder, him breaking Newport Harbor’s career rushing record, the first thing the senior running back did was credit those who made sure he surpassed Dartangan Johnson’s mark of 3,451 yards.
In three years on varsity, Kinder is up to 3,579 yards on the ground.
“Not only does it mean that I am the leading all-time rusher, but it also means that my line and my receivers that are seniors are part of the all-time rush blocking team, and all of our seniors are part of the all-time rushing offense,” Kinder said.
It was a special night not only for Kinder, but also for the offensive line. Kinder and his line have grown up together since their freshmen years.
The starting linemen making it possible for Kinder to get the rushing record were seniors, left tackle Mike Jarboe, left guard John Lamas, center Blake Terry, right guard Tucker Knipp and right tackle Alex Casillas. Jarboe, Lamas and Terry are team captains.
The collective group allowed Kinder to rush for 174 yards and one touchdown in the Sailors’ 34-8 victory against Huntington Beach at Orange Coast College, keeping Newport Harbor in the race to finish in the top three in the Sunset League.
There is a reason why Newport Harbor Coach Jeff Brinkley calls the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Kinder a workhorse. Through eight games this year, Kinder has rushed 205 times for 1,390 yards and 19 touchdowns.
Kinder can add to those totals next week, when Newport Harbor (4-4, 2-1 in league) plays host to Marina at Jim Scott Stadium. A year ago against the Vikings, Kinder rushed for 284 yards and three touchdowns, and returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown during the Sailors’ 60-35 rout.
“Marina is a much improved team,” Kinder said. “We are not going to prepare any less for Marina.”
If Newport Harbor beats Marina, it bolsters its chances of a top-three finish in league and earning a guaranteed berth into the CIF Southern Section Division 6 playoffs. Getting back to the postseason is the key for Kinder and the Sailors, who missed the playoffs last year.
To get there, you can guarantee the Sailors will keep putting the ball in Kinder’s hands. During his career, that has turned out to be successful, as Kinder has rushed for 32 touchdowns, returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and caught one touchdown pass.
At the rate Kinder finds the end zone, he might break Newport Harbor’s career touchdown record of 45, set by Steve Brazas. If he does, expect Kinder to praise his teammates.
SEA KINGS JUST WIN IN PCL
All Corona del Mar does in the Pacific Coast League is win football games.
Going back to 2010, only once has CdM dropped a game in league. The Sea Kings are 31-1-1 during the stretch.
Dan O’Shea has been on the CdM staff since 2011. In his first year as the defensive coordinator, the Sea Kings lost to Beckman, 42-37, in a battle for the league title in the regular-season finale.
Since that loss, CdM has ripped off 23 wins in a row in league. The winning streak in league is the eighth longest in Orange County history.
The coaching staff at CdM has done a remarkable job. O’Shea, in his second year in charge, said his coaches, which include offensive coordinator Kevin Hettig, who has been at CdM since 2011, and offensive line coach Dennis Wilbanks, who has been around the program since 2008, are the reasons behind the success.
“What a treasure it is to have this coaching staff on both sides of the ball,” said O’Shea, whose team is 7-1 overall and 3-0 in league. “The coaching staff is so dedicated to the CdM community and it’s such a pleasure to have such professionals on the field.”
GARBERS NEAR TD RECORD
Chase Garbers has thrown 29 touchdowns and two interceptions in eight games as a senior.
The Cal-bound quarterback is five touchdown passes away from breaking the CdM single-season record, which he set last year.
For his career, Garbers has 73 passing touchdowns, tying him for the No. 7 spot in the Orange County record book with Newport Harbor’s Cole Norris.
VOLLEYBALL LEAGUE TITLES
The Edison and Huntington Beach girls’ volleyball programs appear on their way to a share of first place in the Sunset League.
They split their two meetings in league this year, each winning on the other team’s court. They go into their final league matches with 8-1 records. Huntington Beach, the defending league champion, plays host to Newport Harbor on Tuesday, while Edison is at Marina.
Sage Hill (Academy), Laguna Beach (Orange Coast) and CdM (Pacific Coast) finished first in their respective leagues. While Sage Hill and Laguna Beach could go undefeated in league, CdM won’t.
The Sea Kings lost at Woodbridge in four sets on Tuesday, ending their 81-match winning streak in the Pacific Coast League. The league setback marked CdM’s first since Oct. 21, 2008.
The Sea Kings bounced back on Wednesday, clinching at least a share of first with a sweep at home against Beckman. With one league match left for CdM, on Tuesday against University, the Sea Kings go into it 8-1 in league, one match ahead of Woodbridge.
The Sea Kings will get some competitive volleyball in before then. They’re at the two-day Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions, which started Friday.
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David Carrillo Peñaloza covers football and girls’ volleyball in th fall.
Twitter: @ByDCP
