LB Poly a step up for Sailors

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So Newport Harbor is playing host to Long Beach Poly on Friday. What has gotten into the Sailors???

‘Now that we’re in this division, it’s time we play games like this,’ said Newport Harbor Coach Jeff Brinkley, whose team was moved into the Sunset League last season and is now in the Pac-5 Division instead of Division V.

‘It’s that Catch-22. Everyone is battling for that wild-card or at-large berth, and it may come back to haunt you if you lose. If you play too many games like this, you can get your kids beat up. We’re playing three DI schools in the preseason, which is about right.’

But Long Beach Poly is clearly a step up from Aliso Niguel and Dana Hills. The Jackrabbits (1-1) are the best program the Sailors (1-0) have ever scheduled. And Poly is coming off a loss to Birmingham after being ranked No. 2 in the state. This week, the Jackrabbits shuttled all the way down to No. 20 in the state and No. 10 in The Times’ ranking, and could have -- should have -- dropped further, since Birmingham is No. 11.

A couple of coaches have told me the same thing, the theory being that Poly lost because the Jackrabbits were flat after coming off a big trip to Ohio. That doesn’t excuse it, but it does make sense.

It doesn’t help Newport Harbor any, either.

‘They’re definitely talented like they always are,’ Brinkley said. ‘They’ll probably have their hair on fire after losing. We don’t need them any more emotional than they can be.’’

It’s probably already too late.

- Martin Henderson