Newport Harbor Gets Pushy : Division V: Team approach in tiebreaker helps the Sailors defeat Tustin to advance to the Section final.

Brian Johnson’s one-yard touchdown run on fourth down in overtime gave unbeaten Newport Harbor a 13-10 victory over host Foothill in a Southern Section Division V semifinal Friday night before about 3,000 fans at Tustin High.

The score was tied, 7-7, at the end of regulation and the two teams were forced to decide it with the California tiebreaker, which gives each team four downs to score from the 10-yard line.

Foothill went first, but had to settle for a 22-yard field goal by Cody Clemmons after being stopped at the six on three downs.

Johnson, who finished with a game-high 94 yards in 25 carries, gained two yards on the first play in the tiebreaker before quarterback John Giordani completed a four-yard pass to Dan McDonough on second down. Johnson gained three yards on third down, setting up his game-winning score on the game’s final play.

“Everybody helped out and pushed me in,” Johnson said. “The line blocked great. It was a great team effort.”

Said Newport Harbor Coach Jeff Brinkley: “We knew it was going to be this kind of game. But in that situation, you have to give it to your best ball carrier. (Foothill has) some great athletes and they played us well. But we got a little bit more motivated in the second half.”

Newport Harbor (13-0) will meet tonight’s Servite-El Toro winner for the division title next Saturday at a site to be determined.

Foothill (8-5), which had a seven-game winning streak snapped, dominated play in regulation, but costly penalties halted potential scoring drives. The two teams were scoreless for three quarters before Foothill quarterback Tyler Lang fumbled at the Knights’ 24, setting up a Newport Harbor touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

Johnson’s 15-yard run with 10:34 left gave the Sailors (13-0) a 7-0 lead.

Foothill followed with an 81-yard drive in five plays as Lang connected with Matt Bower on a 35-yard touchdown pass with about eight minutes left.

Foothill failed on a few scoring opportunities late in the game as Clemmons missed a 46-yard field goal with 1:54 left. On the final play of regulation, a pass from fullback Jason DeAngelo on a fake field-goal attempt fell incomplete.

Foothill finished with 342 yards in offense to 119 for Newport Harbor, which advanced to its second Southern Section final in three seasons. Johnson accounted for all but 25 yards of Newport Harbor’s offense.

Other Games:

DIVISION I

La Puente Bishop Amat: 49

Trabuco Hills: 22

NOT ENOUGH: The unseeded Mustangs’ run ended against a team that was simply too much to handle. C16

DIVISION X

Orange Lutheran: 7

San Pedro Mary Star: 6

GOAL-LINE STAND: The Lancers stopped a two-point conversion attempt in overtime to preserve victory. C15