Newport Harbor’s Mistakes Help Marina Earn 21-21 Tie

Their reactions were as different as their programs. One was in the top 10, the other aspires to be. But they found common ground Thursday at Westminster High.

Newport Harbor, ranked 10th in Orange County, couldn’t complete one more pass to get into field goal position, and Marina took advantage of its opponent’s mistakes in a 21-21 tie.

For Newport Harbor (1-0-1), it was bitterly disappointing. The Sailors had 17 penalties for 150 yards, gave up a safety and made two critical mistakes that led to short touchdowns for Marina (1-0-1).

“It was a nightmare,” said Newport Harbor Coach Jeff Brinkley, in his 14th season. “Everything that could’ve gone wrong went wrong.

“This is the most frustrated I’ve been in ages.

“If anyone feels good about about this, they better reevaluate what we’re all about.”

On the other side, Marina Coach Mark Rehling was seeing the silver lining.

“I don’t feel bad about it at all,” he said. “We want to show we can compete with a top-10 team, and a tie shows that we can.”

Newport Harbor outgained Marina, 267-119, but Marina got the big plays.

Trailing at halftime, 15-8, and seemingly unable to stop the Sailors, Marina’s Aaron Williams stepped in front of Chris Manderino’s pass and returned it 61 yards, to the Sailors’ one. It took two penalties and three plays, but Marina finally scored when Ray Mietkiewicz scored from the one, and Phillip Summerfield’s point-after tied the score at 15-15.

But Marina hadn’t used its allotment of big plays. Newport drove from its 16 into Marina territory when the Vikings’ defense stiffened and forced Billy Clayton to punt from the Marina 48. But Joe Wilson blocked Clayton’s punt and Inoke Tukia recovered at the six-yard line. On fourth down, quarterback Beau Brown faked the dive to Mietkiewicz and ran in from the one-yard line for the go-ahead score. But this time, Summerfield’s kick missed its mark, and Marina still needed to get through the fourth quarter holding a 21-15 lead.

It didn’t look like it would happen.

Newport Harbor’s Ryan Brill ran for 27 yards and Andrew Stewart (26 carries, 145 yards, two touchdowns) ran for 34, including the final 16, to tie the score at 21-21. Kicker Chris Bargas pulled the point-after attempt to the left, depriving the Sailors of the lead and the victory.