ORANGE COUNTY PREP SATURDAY : Santa Ana Falls to Newport Harbor, 15-14

Coach Jeff Brinkley of Newport Harbor High School chalked it up to winning by not being intimidated.

An intimidated quarterback does not complete the game’s most crucial pass after throwing an interception that was returned for a touchdown. An intimidated coach doesn’t gamble for two extra points and a victory when he could be satisfied tying one of the county’s top teams.

And an intimidated running back doesn’t lead all rushers.

As the Sailors chanted “Believe” from the sidelines, Brinkley opted for a two-point conversion that allowed Newport Harbor to upset Santa Ana, 15-14, Friday night at Davidson Field.

Quarterback Kirk Summers, who threw an interception and was sacked five times for losses totaling 36 yards, didn’t flinch before throwing a 21-yard strike to set up the touchdown before that extra point attempt.

And running back Scott Morency, who gained 128 yards on 25 carries, valiantly kept the Newport Harbor offense chugging.

“There was no doubt about the fact (Morency) could run the ball,” Brinkley said. “Before the game we were looking at Santa Ana, and I told the coaches there was one guy who was not intimidated, that’s Morency. On that last drive I knew if we scored, I was going for two.”

That last drive almost never happened. Leading 13-7 with less than four minutes to play, Santa Ana was driving the ball.

But when Saint slot back Julius Fletcher fumbled on a reverse, Newport Harbor’s Jason Johnson recovered the ball and returned it to Santa Ana’s 37-yard line. A few plays later, Summers completed a 22-yard pass to Jim Stanley, moving the ball to the Saint four-yard line.

Three players later, Summers scored on a one-yard quarterback sneak, tying the score, 14-14. Summers then completed a pass to Johnson for two extra points and the victory.

“We made too many mistakes, and when you make mistakes you get beat,” said Santa Ana Coach Dick Hill.

He might have been thinking about that first score. Royal Wilbon returned an interception 49 yards, giving the Saints a 6-0 lead in the first quarter. But Enio Blanco’s kick was no good.

Not intimidated, Newport Harbor tied the score on Morency’s three-yard run that capped a 10-play, 48-yard drive. And Jeff Jacobs’s kick gave the Sailors a 7-6 lead.

Santa Ana’s offense, powered by Robert Lee’s 110 yards rushing, was able to move well up and down the field but was able to score only once. It came as no surprise when the Saints’ second score was a 79-yard bomb from George Tuioti to Wilbon, the same player who made their first touchdown. Lee then scored two extra points on a three-yard run.

That one extra point still seemed to haunt the Saints, as did their sputtering offense and defense, which were unable to shut down the Sailor rushing game.

Maybe Santa Ana was just intimidated.