Sailors, Poly finally meet

From 1992 to 2005, Newport Harbor High and Long Beach Poly appeared in seven CIF Southern Section championship football games apiece.

But even the most ardent Sailors enthusiasts would likely admit that the two programs, who square off in a nonleague game tonight at 7 at Newport Harbor, were operating in separate and hardly parallel universes.

By joining the Sunset League last season, however, Newport Harbor, which achieved its success in the previous 15 seasons in Division V and Division VI, joined the nationally renowned Jackrabbits in the Pac-5 Division, formerly Division I.

And, although they did upset Esperanza in the league opener, the Sunset was hardly a hopeful horizon for Coach Jeff Brinkley and the Sailors, as they failed to make the playoffs for first time in eight seasons.

Tonight’s meeting, the first between the two schools, finds the two programs in varying degrees of shock. Newport Harbor was stunned when Brinkley, in his 22nd season at the helm, left for Hoag Hospital at halftime of the 16-3 season-opening win over visiting Aliso Niguel, and remained hospitalized until Sunday night with an irregular heartbeat.

Long Beach Poly, which opened the season with its now familiar place in several national polls, was stunned by a 20-7 upset loss to Birmingham to fall to 1-1. The Jackrabbits are ranked No. 6 in the Pac-5 division, but have vanished from the national polls, after being ranked as high as No. 3 before last week.

Brinkley, who returned to practice this week, is expected to be on the sideline and call plays for the Sailors.

The Sailors’ offense, which benefited from just four pass completions, produced only one touchdown against Aliso Niguel. The Tars will likely need to open things up against Poly, which for decades has used superior speed and athleticism to its advantage.

“[The Jackrabbits] are very athletic and they’re big up front,” Brinkley said. “Offensively, we’ve got to take care of the ball and put ourselves in manageable downs. We can’t have negative plays that would give us third and 15.

“And, defensively, we just need to keep the ball in front of us.”

Newport Harbor junior quarterback Andrew McDonald was four for 12 for 87 yards in his first varsity start last week.

His completions went to four different receivers, including junior JB Green, who caught a 49-yarder.

The Sailors’ ground game was paced by senior tailback Ben Frazier, who compiled 103 yards and one touchdown on 19 carries.

Long Beach Poly, which defeated Glenville of Cleveland, Ohio, 21-13, in its opener, has produced most of its offense through the air.

Quarterback Morgan Fennell, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound junior, has completed 18 of 32 passes for 193 yards and one touchdown. He has thrown two interceptions.

Junior Kevin Norell Jr. has five catches for 65 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown in the final two minutes against Birmingham. Senior Randall Cox has seven catches for 60 yards this season.

The ground game features senior Ricky Johnson (24 carries for 93 yards) and junior Daveon Barner (16 for 68 yards and two TDs).

The Poly offense also includes returning All-CIF lineman Jurell Casey, a 6-1, 245-pound senior.

Newport Harbor is 19-1-1 under Brinkley in games following the season opener.