Oilers Down Newport Harbor in Turnover Battle

Regardless of who wins the annual nonleague football encounter between Huntington Beach and Newport Harbor high schools, one thing has become clear the last few seasons: It won’t be a high-scoring affair.

Going into Thursday night’s game, the teams had averaged 14 points per game the last four years.

Make that five.

Huntington Beach (3-0) kept the pattern going with a 14-0 victory before 3,000 at Davidson Field.

The game turned into a defensive struggle in which numerous scoring opportunities for both sides evaporated either because of fumbles or intercepted passes.

“It was a turnover battle,” Huntington Beach Coach George Pascoe said. “We had great goal-line stands. The defense did it for us.”

It was the hard-hitting Oiler defense that set up the team’s first touchdown. Linebacker Troy McWhinney intercepted a pass by Newport Harbor’s senior quarterback, Steve Walker, and ran it 36 yards to the Sailors’ 21 midway through the third quarter.

Four plays later, Oiler quarterback Tom Friend hit tight end Gabe Stupin on a third-and-goal from the four-yard line with 1 minute 19 seconds remaining in the quarter for the score.

The Oilers struck again with 2:14 left in the game when Don Berger ran the ball in from two yards. The key gain in the six-play, 44-yard drive was a 30-yard pass play from Friend to wide receiver Scott Jansen on a third-and-six situation from the Sailors’ 40-yard line.

Newport Harbor (2-1) missed several scoring chances but none bigger than the pass dropped in the end zone in the second quarter by a wide-open Michael Stipe on a pass from Walker.

Friend, who was being platooned with Mike Chavira at quarterback, went the distance for the Oilers. He completed 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards and was intercepted twice.

Senior tailback Joe Contreras was the workhorse for Huntington Beach, carrying the ball 20 times for 77 yards.