HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL / DIVISION V FINAL : Newport Harbor Rallies to First Title

Newport Harbor’s John Giordani threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Mike Freeman with less than three minutes remaining to lift the Sailors to a 20-15 victory over Servite in the Southern Section Division V championship football game.

Servite had one last chance, but Tom Eaton sacked quarterback David Martin, knocking the ball loose, and Newport Harbor’s Jack Hogan recovered at the Friars’ 33 to seal the victory at Orange Coast College before an overflow crowd of 8,000.

The championship was the first for top-seeded Newport Harbor (14-0) during its 64 years of varsity football. The Sailors lost to Bonita in the 1942 Lower Division final, 39-6, and lost to Irvine in the 1992 Division IV final, 30-8.

Giordani, who completed seven of 13 passes for 160 yards, tossed the game-winner with 2:37 remaining. The play ended a four-play, 77-yard drive that took only 1:26.

Giordani began the drive with a 20-yard completion to Danny Pulido, who had five catches for 79 yards. Two carries by Brian Johnson, who had 134 yards in 19 carries, moved the ball to the 38 to set up the game-winning play.

Third-seeded Servite (11-3) took the lead briefly with 4:08 remaining when David Bedard, who rushed for 120 yards in 25 carries, scored on a one-yard run to give Servite a 15-14 lead.

The Friars rushed for 244 yards but Newport Harbor limited Servite to 11 yards passing.