SEA VIEW LEAGUE : Irvine Overcomes Turnovers, Defeats Newport Harbor

In the end, all was forgiven and forgotten by Irvine Coach Terry Henigan.

The five turnovers by the Vaqueos didn’t matter. The lack of offensive execution in the second half didn’t matter.

All that mattered to Henigan was Irvine’s 28-17 Sea View League victory over Newport Harbor Saturday at Irvine High School. The victory kept the Vaqueros (6-1, 4-0), ranked No. 5 in Orange County, in first place in the league.

“I’m as happy as can be,” Henigan said. “We made some mistakes, but a win is a win over a good team.

“We’re drained, but we’re happy. I never dreamed we’d be 4-0 in the Sea View League.”

That dream was becoming more of a nightmare in the first half, when three Irvine fumbles set up two Newport Harbor touchdowns. A fumble by Tony Mathis on Irvine’s first possession gave the Sailors (5-2, 2-2) the ball at the Vaquero 43-yard line.

Nine plays later, Greg Williams threw a five-yard touchdown pass to Jason Lawson to give Newport Harbor a 7-0 lead. Irvine came back to tie the score on a 78-yard drive, which Scott Seal finished with a three-yard touchdown run with 2 minutes 12 seconds left in the first quarter.

Irvine turned the ball over again at the start of the second quarter when quarterback Aron Garcia, back to return a punt, fumbled and Newport Harbor’s Greg Roney recovered at the Irvine eight-yard line. Williams scored from a yard out to give the Sailors a 14-7 lead with 10:09 left in the first half.

Irvine’s Mathis atoned for his fumble with a 56-yard touchdown run on the Vaqueros next possession to tie the score. The Vaqueros, who moved the ball efficiently throughout the first half when they held onto the ball, then forced a Newport Harbor punt but again fumbled it away to the Sailors, this time at the Irvine 32.

Newport Harbor failed to capitalize on the turnover, however, as Doug Stuckey missed a 32-yard field goal attempt with 3:50 left in the half. Garcia, who threw for 150 yards in the first half, then led Irvine to the go-ahead touchdown on a drive that finished with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Tony Arellano for a 21-14 lead.

Two more Irvine turnovers in the second half--two interceptions thrown by Garcia--gave Newport Harbor chances to take the lead, but the Sailors self-destructed with three second-half turnovers of their own. With Newport Harbor trailing, 21-17, with 8:05 left in the game, Williams had a pass intercepted and returned 32 yards for a touchdown by Chris Waite.

“We were struggling offensively in the second half, but that interception was just what we needed,” Henigan said. “The defense has been making the big plays all year.”

Another interception on the Sailors’ next possession sealed the victory for Irvine.

Seal finished with 111 yards in 22 carries and receiver Todd Thomas had seven receptions for 122 yards in the first half for the Vaqueros.