Tars get royal treatment

Barry Faulkner

CERRITOS - In about four weeks, some lucky CIF Southern Section

football teams will be able to declare themselves No. 1. But, Newport

Harbor was more than happy to proclaim “We’re No. 4,” when Division VI

playoff pairings were announced Sunday at the section office.

The statement refers to the Sailors’ seeding in Division VI, a

development made possible when previously unbeaten Villa Park lost to

Foothill, 14-7, Friday.

The final-week upset allowed the Sea View League runner-up Sailors

(8-2), ranked outside the division’s top four nine times in 10 weekly

polls to this point, to inherit a draw favorable to one they would have

faced, had Villa Park remained No. 3 and Tustin No. 4.

Instead, Tustin (9-1), the team several division coaches said Sunday

they would least look forward to playing, moved up to No. 3, behind

top-seeded La Mirada (10-0) and Sea View champ Irvine (10-0).

“We’re really pleased to be seeded,” said Newport Harbor Coach Jeff

Brinkley, who will begin his 11th postseason in 15 years at the school by

hosting Westminster (3-6-1) Friday at 7 p.m.

“We weren’t sure we’d be seeded, even after Villa Park lost.”

A first-round victory by Harbor, which won section crowns in 1994 and

‘99, would set up a potential quarterfinal matchup with Villa Park. The

potential semifinal matchup would most likely be No. 1 La Mirada.

Tustin and Irvine, as well as a dangerous 6-4 Loara squad, will battle

it out on the other side of the bracket.

Meanwhile, in Division IX, Estancia (7-3) and Corona del Mar (5-5)

will face formidable first-round foes on the road Friday at 7 p.m.

Costa Mesa (6-4) did not receive the Division’s lone at-large bid,

which went to Baldwin Park (6-3-1).

Estancia, the Pacific Coast League runner-up, opens its first

postseason since 1995 at Freeway League runner-up Fullerton (8-2).

CdM, which nearly claimed a share of the PCL crown before falling to

University, 22-15, Friday, will visit No. 2-seeded South Hills (9-1) at

Covina High.

“We didn’t want Fullerton,” said Eagles Coach Dave Perkins, whose

team, on a three-game winning streak, will try to get the school’s first

playoff victory since 1980.

The Indians, whose long history includes six CIF title-game

appearances and three titles (1918, ’27 and ‘84), shared two similar

opponents with Estancia this fall.

Fullerton defeated Santa Ana Valley, 38-0, and handled Magnolia, 42-6,

in nonleague action. Estancia topped Magnolia, 25-8, but fell to Valley,

35-28.

CdM, in its third straight postseason, will need an upset to earn its

first playoff win since 1995. The Sea Kings, who lost their last two

after a five-game winning streak, should have the services of senior

tailback Blake Hacker, who missed most of the second half Friday with a

sprained ankle.

“It’s a low sprain, so he should be able to come back,” CdM Coach Dick

Freeman said.

Mesa Coach Jerry Howell, whose team finished with a 57-7 thrashing of

Northwood, said he was surprised to lose the at-large berth to Baldwin

Park, which earned one of its league wins in overtime (a provision Orange

County leagues don’t have).

“I thought it would be between us and Troy (6-4),” Howell said. “But I

have no complaints. The bottom line is, we have to win more games during

the regular season.”