PREP FOOTBALL : Sea View League : Coberly’s Kick Leads Newport Harbor, 17-14

Sterling Coberly kicked a 21-yard field goal in the third quarter to lead Newport Harbor High School past University, 17-14, in a Sea View League game on Davidson Field Thursday night.

The Sailors, 2-2 in league and 5-4 overall, kept their playoff hopes alive by holding off a late University rally.

The Trojans (2-2 and 5-4) moved the ball to the Newport Harbor 11-yard line with six minutes remaining. On fourth down and two, University decided against trying a field goal, which would have tied the game. Quarterback Jeff Bailey pitched the ball to Gary Smarr, who was tackled for a three-yard loss, giving Newport Harbor possession.

The Sailors then ran out the clock. Junior running back Scott Morency led the Sailors with 181 yards in 30 carries. Morency gave Newport Harbor an early lead when he scored on a two-yard run with 6:01 remaining in the first quarter.

But University came back when Bailey threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to Craig Allton with 7:39 left in the second quarter. The Trojans missed the extra point.

Newport Harbor extended its lead to 14-6 when Kirk Summers connected with Mark Craig on a 32-yard pass play with 4:46 left in the second quarter.

But on the ensuing kickoff, Smarr raced 95 yards for a touchdown to cut the Sailors’ lead to 14-12. University then made a two-point conversion to tie the score.