DIVISION VI / What They’re Saying

It’s always one of the hardest-hitting games of the season when Sea View League rivals Irvine and Newport Harbor meet on the football field. The Sailors won last year’s Southern Section Division VI title game, 19-18. Will it be the Vaqueros’ turn tonight? Some comments from former players:

“It’s getting to be quite a rivalry. I know those guys hate us and I’m pretty sure there aren’t many players on Newport that like Irvine too much. There’s no trash-talking because both programs are well-run, but there’s a lot of extra-curricular activities going on after the play. If a knee happens to wind up on somebody’s head after a play, that’s unfortunate.

“I know [Irvine is mad]. They want their patches, their rings.

“There’s really no mystery to these games. They play the same 46 defense and we run the same plays.”

--Blair Jones, Newport Harbor Class of 2000, a redshirt offensive tackle at USC.

“I’d love to see my brother Josh get the ring that I didn’t get. As long as it’s one of us. We’re all Vaqueros.”

--Keith Short, Irvine Class of 2000, a redshirt defensive back at UCLA

“On Friday, I’ll try not to think about last year’s game, but it’s the same time and same place. It’s hard not to. I tell guys on this year’s team that they don’t want to feel like I’ve felt the last year.”

--Mike Ricci, Irvine Class of 2000, a freshman quarterback at Santa Ana College

“They were always a real physical team. They always had good backs. It was always a close game. The Newport teams I played against always talked a lot of trash. We knew we had to get up for it or we’d get hurt.”

“I know my Irvine team is physical this year. I know the defense is going to come to play. And now they’ve got confidence. I’m sure Coach [Terry] Henigan will have them ready.”

--Alfred Williams, Irvine Class of 1998, a sophomore defensive back at Arizona State

--Compiled by DAVE McKIBBEN

The Rubber Match

The Newport Harbor-Irvine football series has developed into one of the most competitive and significant in the county. Tonight’s Division VI championship game will break an 8-8 tie in the series, as well as a 1-1 tie in Southern Section championship game meetings.

Unlike the defensive showdowns of the past two seasons, games between the Vaqueros and Sailors have tended to be high-scoring. But only five of the 16 games have been decided by more than two touchdowns, including a 52-0 romp by Newport Harbor in 1983.

On three occasions--1992, ’99 and 2000--the game decided the Sea View League championship. And in each of those seasons, Newport Harbor and Irvine would meet again in a Southern Section championship game.

The series:

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Year Winner Score 1981 Newport Harbor 21-7 1982 Irvine 24-21 1983 Newport Harbor 52-0 1984 Newport Harbor 20-7 1985 Irvine 36-26 1992 Irvine 28-17 Irvine 30-8 1993 Irvine 29-21 Year Winner Score 1994 Newport Harbor 9-7 1995 Irvine 31-28 1996 Newport Harbor 39-14 1997 Newport Harbor 28-17 1998 Irvine 34-15 1999 Newport Harbor 12-10 Newport Harbor 19-18 2000 Irvine 19-14

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