Sailors safe at home

Barry Faulkner

NEWPORT BEACH - For the first time all season, the Newport Harbor

High football rooters can sit on the home side in their own stadium. And

they figure to have plenty to cheer about when the Sailors host Magnolia

tonight at 7 o’clock.

“They’re banged up,” Newport Coach Jeff Brinkley said of the Sentinels

(1-3), who fell, 48-0, last week to Fullerton without nine injured

starters.

Newport topped Glendora, 28-13, Friday night, despite the absence of

starters Billy Clayton, Mike Tunney and Garrett Troncale and all three

could miss this final nonleague tuneup, according to Brinkley.

Coach Bill Friedrich’s team has lost seven of its last eight and will be

a heavy underdog, regardless of how many starters are able to go.

The Orange League squad, which fell, 40-7, to Harbor last fall, has been

outscored, 124-38, including a 35-0 trouncing from Estancia in the season

opener.

Newport, ranked No. 5 in Orange County and No. 3 in CIF Southern Section

Division VI, has not lost in 24 games against teams outside the Sea View

League (23-0-1). The Tars have outscored four opponents, 139-40.

Brinkley said his team will be trying to tie up some loose ends, before

it opens the Sea View slate Oct. 15 at home against powerful Irvine.

“There are a few areas that still concern us,” said Brinkley, who with

last week’s triumph, became the Newport-Mesa District career victory

leader with 107. “We’re turning the ball over too much (four last week)

and we missed some conversion kicks.”

Brinkley has also said he’d like to see better productivity from his

passing game, which is triggered by junior quarterback Chris Manderino.

The Sailors haven’t needed the aerial attack much thus far, thanks to a

solid offensive front and the running talents of tag-team tailbacks Andre

Stewart and Ryan Brill.

Stewart has 525 yards and nine touchdowns on 88 carries in his senior

season. Those numbers might be even more impressive, if not for the

presence of fellow senior Brill, who has carried 44 times for 309 yards

and three TDs.

Tackles Blair Jones and Robert Cole, guards Steve Wukawitz and Nick

Haddy, center Luis Cruz, tight end Nick Langsdorf and fullbacks Travis

Trimble and Tunney have given Newport ballcarriers frequent passage into

the secondary. Magnolia will face the challenge of matching their

collective muscle up front.