Newport Harbor has trouble getting inspired for Edison

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After beating Los Alamitos a couple weeks ago to put itself into a three-way tie for first place in the Sunset League, Jeff Brinkley was perplexed why his Newport Harbor team had so little for Edison in the season finale on Thursday, a 47-0 loss.

In just their second year in the Sunset League and now playing in the Southern Section’s marquee division, the Sailors were poised to win the league title, even though it seemed a longshot at the beginning of the season. With home-field advantage, a league title on the line, and confidence from an outstanding season, everything seemed tailor-made for the Sailors to at least compete.

Instead, it was all Edison.

‘They were on a mission to win the championship,’ Brinkley said of Edison. ‘They kind of knew they were going to be first or fourth, and we were in the position of already being in the playoffs, and that’s how we played. They did a great job. Give them credit.

‘Mentally, it was almost like two teams going in different directions. Maybe our guys were happy they were already in. It was a little disappointing. ... They beat us in all aspects.

‘It’s my job to motivate them, and I didn’t do a good enough job of selling it this week, the importance of the game and the position we were in. They played a lot more inspired than we did.’

-- Martin Henderson

-- Image from www.gondolas.com