Harbor holds on

Barry Faulkner

NEWPORT BEACH - It may have seemed otherwise for visiting Irvine

High, but all the big plays in Newport Harbor’s monumental 12-10 Sea View

League-opening football victory Friday night didn’t involve penalties on

the Vaqueros.

Sailors’ junior end Garrett Troncale came up with the biggest play of the

season for the hosts, blocking a 35-yard field-goal attempt by Irvine’s

Jessob Reisbeck with 4:51 remaining.

The Sailors (5-1 and ranked No. 4 in Orange County and No. 2 in CIF

Southern Section Division VI), never gave the ball back and claimed their

first win in a league debut since their unbeaten CIF title campaign in

1994.

“This is huge,” said Newport Coach Jeff Brinkley, who didn’t hesitate

terming the triumph one of his biggest regular-season conquest in his 14

seasons at the school.

“It was important for us, because we stumbled out of the gate last year

against Corona del Mar.

The Tars also stumbled in 1997 and ’96 against Woodbridge, and saw their

league season open on a sour note in ’95 against El Toro.

But there was only sweetness in the aftermath of this one, despite a

miserable start.

“We came out flat-footed,” said senior nose guard Andy Kalanz, who didn’t

start after banging up a knee in practice, and had to watch from the

sideline as Irvine (3-2-1) went 45 yards on 11 plays to open the scoring

in its first possession. “It was like we had cement boots on.”

The same appeared true of the Harbor offense, which was summarily stuffed

on its first three possessions, even though one was extended when Irvine

roughed the punter.

The penalty was the first of several costly violations for the visitors,

who committed five 15-yard indiscretions en route to seven markoffs for

90 yards.

Newport got a kick start from its own 25, when Irvine was flagged for

pass interference on the first play after Irvine’s second punt.

Newport, which had produced just 17 yards its first three series, found

its gear as senior tailback Andre Stewart kept bouncing and the line kept

pounding.

The result was an 11-play touchdown drive capped when Stewart went 11

yards behind a Travis Trimble kickout block with 3:23 left in the first

half.

The conversion kick, however, sailed wide and Irvine took a precarious

one-point cushion into intermission.

It didn’t last long, as Irvine went three-and-out and Harbor went 75

yards on 10 plays to seize the lead for good.

A 25-yard pass from Chris Manderino to Justin Jacobs got the Sailors

rolling and another interference call, on third-and-10, moved Newport to

the Vaquero 30.

Stewart, who finished with 122 yards on 31 carries, took three carries to

rip off another 26 yards, before Trimble converted third-and-one with a

2-yard dive to the 2.

Stewart walked in around the left side on the next snap and, after a

two-point pass attempt spiraled through a receiver’s hands, the hosts

led, 12-7, with nearly 17 minutes left.

Irvine, the defending Sea View co-champion, cut into the lead when

Reisbeck unloaded a 32-yard field goal which would have been good from 50

on the second play of the fourth period.

Newport went three-and-out after the ensuing kickoff, but defensive

tackle Nick Moghaddam recovered a fumble at the Irvine 43 to maintain

status quo.

Irvine, however, forced another Harbor punt. The Vaqueros then turned a

51-yard screen pass from Mike Ricci to Eric Patton into another serious

threat, but they stalled at the Harbor 18, and Reisbeck was summoned for

the go-ahead three-pointer.

“We had our block on,” said Brinkley, who watched Troncale split the

guard-tackle gap, throw his hands up and catch leather with his right

palm.

“I ran right through,” said Troncale, seemingly still stunned by his

heroics. “I don’t know if that’s the biggest play I’ve ever made, but it

has to come pretty close. I hope I have some more plays to make.”

Offensive tackle Robert Cole said Troncale’s block saved the day.

“I was on the sideline just holding hands with my teammates,” Cole said.

“I knew something good would happen for us.”

Still, Cole and his offensive mates had to take care of business, which

they did by picking up three more first downs. The final first down came

via a facemask with 1:08 left, after Stewart ran into a pile 6 yards

short of the first.

The good fortune on penalties was ironic for the Sailors, who averaged 11

penalties for nearly 93 yards their first five games.

Harbor had only four penalties for 30 yards Friday and did not commit a

turnover.