Sailors at full steam

Patrick Laverty

Seeking its first 4-0 start since 1998, Newport Harbor High’s

football team has an excellent chance of achieving that mark Friday

at Dana Hills High at 7:30 p.m.

But the Dolphins (1-2) will provide a test for the Sailors, ranked

No. 4 in CIF Southern Section Division VI, in two ways. First, it

will be the first, and possibly only, option team the Sailors will

see this year. Second, Dana Hills has already played two of Newport

Harbor’s Sea View League competitors, providing the Sailors with a

bit of a measuring stick with two games remaining before league

action begins.

The Dolphins lost to Foothill, the defending Sea View League

champion and the likely favorite this year, 46-0, last week. Their

only victory this season came over Woodbridge, 17-9, in Week 2. At

0-4, the Warriors are the only Sea View League team with more than

one loss.

The 17 points Dana Hills scored against Woodbridge are the

Dolphins only points this season. The Sailors will be looking to

become the third team to shut out Dana Hills’ option attack this

season.

“I like their quarterback [junior Nathan Barnett],” Sailors Coach

Jeff Brinkley said. “He’s a good little player. He understands the

offense. They’re not going to throw it very much, but he does a good

job of running the offense.”

Barnett is the Dolphins’ leading rusher with 249 yards and one

touchdown on 34 carries. Dana Hills has just 31 yards passing this

season.

Newport’s defense, led by junior linebackers Greg Miner, Thomas

Martin and Trevor Theriot, will likely focus on Barnett’s running

ability. Defensive ends Saami Khalifian and Sean Rowe will also play

key roles in defending the option.

“It makes your defense play disciplined,” Brinkley said. “It’s an

assignment-oriented defense. You’ve got to be disciplined with your

assignment. We assign different people to the dive, the quarterback

and the pitch.”

The Sailors’ offense will look to continue to grow under the

direction of junior quarterback Kasey Peters. The 6-foot-2,

198-pounder has completed 26 of 57 passes for 373 yards. He’s thrown

five touchdowns, all to junior Spencer Link, and no interceptions.

Peters’ development has been aided by the presence of workhorse

Matt Encinias. The senior running back has rushed 76 times, including

57 carries in the last two games, gaining 385 yards and scoring four

times.

Most of Encinias’ season-high 179 yards in last week’s win came in

the second half as the Sailors’ offensive line wore down Corona del

Mar’s defense. Senior guard Eric Curtis, who played most of that

second half with a twisted ankle, is a question mark this week

because of the injury.

If Curtis can not play, senior Ellery Murphy will start in his

place. Also suffering from the lingering effects of an injury

sustained last week is Miner.

Bothered by a hamstring problem, Miner could be replaced by Billy

Brown at tight end and Taylor Young at linebacker.