Newport Harbor Pounds Canyon, 55-7

Attention El Toro and Santa Margarita: be advised the Sea View League championship race will not be a two-team affair.

Newport Harbor is looking like a contender after dismantling Canyon, 55-7, before an estimated 1,500 at El Modena High.

But despite rolling up 465 total yards against the Comanches--329 of which came on the ground--the 4-0 Sailors say they’re not ready to join the the Chargers and Eagles as league favorites.

“It’s better not to try and figure out too many things right now,” Newport Harbor Coach Jeff Brinkley said. “We still have to take things one game at a time. When you analyze too much, you end up hurting yourself.”

Receiver Danny Pulido, a member of the 1994 Sailor team that won the Division V title, agreed that it’s too early to properly assess his team.

“We know we haven’t beaten the El Toros and Santa Margaritas we will face,” Pulido said. “We still have to come out every week ready to work hard.”

They can’t work much harder than they did Friday, swamping Canyon (3-1) on both sides of the ball. “They whipped the living daylights out of us,” Canyon Coach Bob Hughes said. “We knew what they wanted to do, but we couldn’t stop any of it.”

Offensively the Sailors were led by running back Ray Ohrel, who ran for 163 yards and three touchdowns. Josiah Fredriksen passed for 136 yards and two touchdowns.

Canyon’s lone highlight was provided by the Scott twins. Quarterback Craig’s four-yard fourth quarter touchdown pass to brother Chad kept the Comanches from being shut out.

Craig, however, was felled by a legal hit in the ribs and lower back while trying to throw with 6 minutes 35 seconds left in the game. He was to be taken to the hospital for examination after the game.

The Sailors, who led 27-0 at the half, had two first quarter scores set up by Canyon mistakes. Pulido intercepted a pass by Craig Scott at the Newport Harbor 43 and returned it to the Comanche 20. Ohrel carried three times, the last nine yards for the touchdown.

After Canyon was stopped at its 38 on the next possession, punter Scott Walker was called for intentional grounding after the snap flew over his head. watched the snap fly over his head. The ball was placed on the three. Ohrel promptly scored.