Sailors look for fourth straight
After defeating its crosstown rival last week, the Newport Harbor
High football team reaches what some might consider a crossroads
Friday night at 7:30 at Dana Hills.
Sailors Coach Jeff Brinkley believes the Dolphins (2-1) are the
most physically talented team his squad (3-0), ranked No. 2 in CIF
Southern Section Division VI, will have faced this season.
A Newport Harbor victory would mark the 13th time in Brinkley’s 20
seasons at the helm that the Tars had gone four games into the season
without a loss. In the first 12 such seasons, the Sailors averaged 10
wins.
But victory will not come without improvement for the visitors,
who have failed to overwhelm in their first three triumphs.
Dana Hills, which has lost to Newport five straight seasons by a
combined 181-63 score, comes off a 38-35 loss to Tesoro, the
defending CIF Division IX champion ranked No. 1 in Division IX and on
a 13-game winning streak.
The Dolphins opened with wins over El Dorado, 24-0, and
Woodbridge, 31-6.
“Dana Hills has been playing really well,” Brinkley said. “I think
their coach [Armando Gonzalez] really has them believing in the
system and they definitely believe they can win.”
Such confidence has been bolstered by the play of senior
quarterback Grant Schwartz, a swift, versatile, athletic performer
who has impressed Brinkley.
“[Schwartz] is definitely a big-time quarterback who can really
run,” Brinkley said. “He is a sprinter on their track team and when
he hits a crease, there aren’t very many guys who are going to catch
him.”
Though Brinkley’s defense is coming off a 14-0 shutout of Corona
del Mar, he believes it’s his offense that may hold the key against
the Dolphins.
“We’re going to have to try to keep [Schwartz] hemmed in, but,
hopefully, we can put together some long drives to keep their offense
off the field,” Brinkley said.
Of the seven touchdowns scored by the Sailors thus far, only one
came on a drive of more than 53 yards. And that was a four-play,
73-yard quick strike that was all passes to pull out a 21-17 victory
over Marina with 12 seconds left Sept. 10.
Brinkley said he is still searching for the right combination in
the backfield, where 6-foot-1, 220-pound Jack Tracy has gained 253
yards on 40 carries, alternating between tailback and fullback, and
5-8, 175-pound tailback Jasen Ruiz has picked up 172 yards on 40
attempts.
Senior quarterback Tom Jackson is 31 of 59 for 333 yards, with
four touchdown passes and three interceptions.
The Sailors have been led defensively by junior tackle Mike
Calabrese (in on four sacks against CdM), and senior noseguard Ryan
Uhl, Brinkley said.
Newport has allowed just 24 points this season.
The Sailors will host Mira Costa at 7 p.m. Oct. 7, before opening
Sea View League against Woodbridge Oct. 14.
NEWPORT HARBOR STARTERS
*--*
OFFENSE
No. Player Ht. Wt. Yr. Pos.
4 Tom Jackson 6-1 185 Sr. QB
15 Jasen Ruiz 5-8 170 Jr. TB
32 Jack Tracy 6-1 220 Sr. FB
5 James Coder 6-0 180 Sr. WR
8 Jarrett Daniel 6-0 170 Jr. WR
22 Billy Brown 6-3 210 Sr. TE
77 Charles Schultz 6-4 332 Sr. LT
76 Alex Flores 6-2 206 Sr. LG
52 Lou Truxton 6-1 211 Sr. C
72 Billy Munce 6-0 259 Sr. RG
78 Matt McCullough 6-5 275 Sr. RT
*--*
*--*
DEFENSE
No. Player Ht. Wt. Yr. Pos.
50 Jayme Ohlhaver 5-11 187 Sr. DE 95 Ryan Uhl 6-0 270 Sr. NG
55 Mike Calabrese 6-1 221 Jr. DT 40 Scott Andrews 6-1 201 Sr. DE 22 Billy Brown 6-3 210 Sr. LB
19 Nick Frazier 5-11 210 Jr. LB 23 David Rosales 5-10 205 Sr. LB 8 Jarrett Daniel 6-0 170 Jr. CB
9 Keith Eldridge 5-9 152 Sr. CB
5 James Coder 6-0 180 Sr. SS
6 Brett Green 6-0 180 Sr. FS
*--*