DIVISION VI CHAMIONSHIP GAME REPORT

By MIKE HISERMAN

Dec. 9, 2000 12 AM PT

1st QUARTER: Irvine 0, Newport 0

THE SCORING: None.

TURNING POINT: Irvine was first-and-10 at its 46 when quarterback Travis Otott tried to loft a pass to Godfrey Young in the flat. But Newport Harbor linebacker Alan Saenz stretched his 6-foot-2, 260-pound frame up as high as it could go, tipped the pass, and managed to pull it in for an interception and the game’s first turnover. Saenz’s play gave the Sailors the ball at the Irvine 33, but Newport Harbor lost six yards in the next three plays--two scrambles by quarterback Morgan Craig and a one-yard pass from Craig to Brian Gaeta.

NOT IN THE SUMMARY: Newport Harbor seemed intent on playing smash-mouth football, with Chris Manderino running almost exclusively inside the tackles. He carried seven times in the quarter, and his longest gain--on the only time he popped through the line--was seven yards. Note to offensive coordinator: Irvine seems to like that style of play, too.

STAT WATCH: Among the many reasons Irvine couldn’t move the ball is that the Vaqueros wouldn’t throw the ball down the field. Oh, they threw--but almost always horizontally on quick swings and outs. Otott completed three of seven passes for 26 yards. Newport Harbor was a little better, but even though Craig completed all four of his passes, they went for only 26 yards.

2nd QUARTER: Irvine 7, Newport 0

THE SCORING: * Irvine 7, Newport Harbor 0: Patton, 77-yard pass from Otott at 5:45. 80-yard drive, three plays. PAT--Doomey (kick).

TURNING POINT: Newport Harbor seemed well on its way to scoring first on a drive set up when Ian Banigan recovered an Otott fumble after a heavy hit by Garrett Troncale. The Sailors drove the ball from the Irvine 39 to the 13, where they were second-and-nine. Then Craig hooked up with Andy Rankin on a pass for an 12-yard gain, but Rankin fumbled near the goal line, and Zach Taylor recovered for Irvine in the end zone.

NOT IN THE SUMMARY: Irvine got away with one on the touchdown pass from Otott to Doomey, who was well covered by Ryan Spruth as he sprinted down the sideline. Doomey separated himself from Spruth at the last moment, via a little push that officials apparently didn’t see. He caught the ball at the Sailor 37 and broke a tackle try by David Sprenger on his way to the end zone.

STAT WATCH: The scoring play marked Irvine’s only first down of the quarter. The Vaqueros rushed for 24 yards in the quarter, but 10 of that came on the play Otott fumbled. The touchdown from Otott to Doomey was Irvine’s only completed pass of the period.

3rd QUARTER: Irvine 14, Newport 0

THE SCORING: * Irvine 14, Newport Harbor 0: Doomey, 15-yard pass from Otott at 9:14. 47-yard drive, 7 plays. PAT--Doomey (kick).

TURNING POINT: A furious rush by Dan Beuchat and Brian Porteous ended Newport Harbor’s longest and most impressive drive of the night. Porteous buried Craig back at the Irvine 32 for a loss of eight when the Sailors went for a first on fourth-and-19. Irvine went three-and-out from there, but a 50-yard punt by Josh Short pushed Newport Harbor all the way back to its 17 at the start of its next possession.

NOT IN THE SUMMARY: Newport Harbor had a first down at the Irvine 15, and, more importantly, the Vaqueros’ best defensive player, Joe Bollard, was on the sideline nursing a banged-up knee. Then came the four plays that secured Irvine’s shutout: An incomplete pass, a fumble by Manderino that resulted in a loss of four yards, a nine-yard gain that was wiped away by a penalty for having an illegal receiver down field, and the sack by Porteous on fourth down.

STAT WATCH: Newport Harbor kept the ball for almost six minutes and drove the ball from its 24 to as deep as the Irvine 15 before being turned away.

4th QUARTER: Irvine 14, Newport 0

THE SCORING: None

TURNING POINT: Down 14-0, Newport Harbor faced a must-score situation when it took over possession at the Irvine 49 with 9:18 to play. On a fourth-and-one, Manderino gained two yards for a first down. Then Craig connected with Mitch Gray for a 20-yard gain and a first down at the Irvine 18. But then Craig looked for Gray again, and in stepped Bollard, who picked off the pass at the one and returned it back to the Irvine 46. Ball game.

NOT IN THE SUMMARY: An illegal procedure penalty nullified an 86-yard touchdown run by Godfrey Young on Irvine’s first play from scrimmage in the quarter.

STAT WATCH: Excluding punts, Craig ran or passed on 15 of the Sailors’ 17 plays in the quarter. Manderino had two carries for four yards. Irvine made one first down--on a 26-yard run by Young.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

STATISTICS

INDIVIDUAL

Rushing

*--*

Irvine TCB NYG Avg. TD Young 11 47 4.3 0 Abe 12 18 1.5 0 Doomey 7 7 1.0 0 Short 1 6 6.0 0 Otott 1 -10 -10.0 0 Totals 32 68 2.1 0 N Harbor TCB NYG Avg. TD Manderino 24 72 3.0 0 Craig 9 -5 -0.6 0 Totals 33 67 2.0 0

*--*

Passing

*--*

Irvine PA PC PI Yd TD Otott 17 7 2 159 2 Totals 17 7 2 159 2 N Harbor PA PC PI Yd TD Craig 31 17 2 163 0 Totals 31 17 2 163 0

*--*

Receiving

*--*

Irvine No. Yd. TD Doomey 3 36 1 Patton 2 92 1 Short 1 21 0 Kimmich 1 10 0 Totals 7 159 2 N Harbor No. Yd. TD Gaeta 8 70 0 Gray 3 31 0 Manderino 3 30 0 Rankin 2 20 0 Vandersloot 1 3 0 Totals 17 163 0

*--*

TEAM STATISTICS

*--*

Irvine N Harbor First downs 8 15 Rushes-yards 33-67 32-68 Net yards passing 159 163 Passes 7-17-2 17-31-2 Int.-yd. ret. 2-45 2-8 Plays-net yd. 50-223 63-231 Punts-average 5-35.6 8-28.4 Punts ret.-yd. 1-1 0-0 Kickoffs ret.-yd. 1-43 3-17 Fumbles-lost 1-1 2-1 Penalties-yards 9-70 6-40 Time of pos. 21:14 26:46

*--*

IRVINE LOG

Record: 14-0

41 University 17

30 Saddleback 6

55 Orange Lutheran 14

65 Los Amigos 6

24 Loara 0

19 Newport Harbor 14

28 Aliso Niguel 7

28 L.A. Fairfax 0

42 Laguna Hills 7