Sailors Power Past Villa Park Into Semifinals

Villa Park tried almost every trick in the playbook but couldn’t do the basics well enough to win.

Newport Harbor did what it knew would work--power running and power defense--and rolled into the Southern Section Division VI semifinals.

Tireless tailback Andre Stewart rushed for 285 yards in 33 carries, and the unbeaten Sailors’ reliable defense survived an onslaught of Villa Park trick plays and bottled up county rushing leader Marquis Colvin in a 35-16 victory over the outmanned Spartans Friday before about 3,000 spectators at Newport Harbor High School.

“I had a good feeling before this game--I liked the look in the kids’ eyes,” said Newport Harbor Coach Jeff Brinkley, whose team has reached the section semifinals three times in the last four years. “Andre’s been doing this all year, and our defense has been doing this all year.”

The Sailors (11-0-1), ranked No. 2 in Orange County and seeded second in Division VI, next will face Kennedy, a 21-14 winner over La Mirada, at a site to be determined today by coin flip. The Sea View League champions are two victories from their first section title since 1994.

Villa Park, the Century League champion, finished 9-3. The Spartans hung in for a while, trailing only 14-7 at halftime, but they were worn down in the last two quarters by the elusive Stewart and the Sailors’ bigger line.

Colvin, who rushed for 2,088 yards in the Spartans’ first 11 games, was slowed Friday by the effects of a possible concussion suffered in last week’s victory over Santa Ana, and by a defense that clearly was keying on him. He had only 41 yards in 14 carries--although he did have a 60-yard touchdown run erased by a penalty.

With Colvin a non-factor, the Spartans relied on quarterback John Henry Jackson (11 of 17 passing, 192 yards) and trick plays, including an end-around, a double-reverse on a kickoff, a pass to the quarterback and a fake punt.

“Obviously we didn’t think we could run it right down their throat,” Villa Park Coach Pat Mahoney said. “But [Newport Harbor’s] approach is simplicity, pressure and good fundamental defense. That usually takes care of gadget plays, and that’s what they did tonight.”

Stewart made the Sailors’ approach work. He scored one touchdown, a 65-yard run in the fourth quarter, and did the heavy lifting on the other four scoring drives.

The defense, which has given up 99 points in 12 games, contributed a first-quarter goal-line stand--stopping Daniel Munoz on fourth-and-inches--and made few mistakes all night.

The Sailors drove 71 yards for a touchdown and 21-7 lead to start the third quarter (“That was a big key,” Brinkley said), and Stewart’s touchdown made it 28-10 with 9:38 to play.