Newport Harbor makes a statement against Notre Dame

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Even though it seemed as if there was a funeral in progress on the Notre Dame sidelines, Newport Harbor could care less as it whooped and hollered its way to the end zone for its post-game huddle.

Thanks to an over-his-head, 22-yard TD catch by J.B. Green on a lobbed throw by QB Andrew McDonald, the Sailors upset the Knights, 7-3, in the opening round of the Pac-5 Division playoffs.

I have to admit, I didn’t think the Sailors had it in them, even with Notre Dame’s Dayne Crist not playing. After the Knights kicked a field goal to take a 3-0 lead at halftime, their defense held strong throughout the third quarter. I knew one big play could change the game, but it was actually a lot of little plays on the Sailors’ only really successful drive of the night that proved the difference.

A half dozen or so short passes by McDonald coupled with some breakout runs by RB Michael Helfrich put the Sailors into Notre Dame territory before McDonald’s longest pass of the night put the game away.

‘We were the underdog and everyone was saying we were going to get blown out,’ said Newport Harbor RB Ben Frazier, who rushed for 67 yards in 18 carries. ‘We knew if we came out on top, people might start to realize that we’re a team to look at.’

They definitely got Notre Dame’s attention, and I’m sure fans of the Pac-5 Division are looking at this score with some raised eyebrows.

-- Austin Knoblauch