Prep football: Eternally theirs

Barry Faulkner

For better or worse, big hits and touchdowns or missed tackles and

turnovers, the 39th version of the Battle of the Bay is in the books.

Surely Newport Harbor High, which prevailed, 35-7, Friday night at the

Sailors’ field, will relish the outcome for eternity. But all involved

with the annual cross-town football showdown between the Sailors and the

Sea Kings of Corona del Mar, including the typical overflow crowd of

5,100, will come away with memories of an atmosphere increasingly rare on

the current landscape of prep athletics.

“It’s the kind of game high school football should be about,” said CdM

Coach Dick Freeman, who played regularly before crowds of about 10,000 --

and even one CIF semifinal turnout of 33,374 -- as a star lineman for

Anaheim High in the mid 1960s. “It’s like a packed gym in basketball. It

something you want to be a part of. It makes it fun.”

Newport Coach Jeff Brinkley, blessed with some of the best fan support

in an area where games are frequently played before fewer than 500,

believes the Battle of the Bay generates an energy few games can match.

“It’s an exciting time,” Brinkley said. “Kids get a chance to play in

front of 5,000 spectators and what they do out there is probably going to

be brought up yearly for the rest of their lives. Whether its in the

newspaper, talking to one of their old teammates, or just somebody in the

community, there is going to be something to tie them in with whatever

year they played in this game.”

For the Sailor seniors, Friday night was indeed a grand finale.

“We talked about that with our kids, that this would be the last time

they’d ever play against those guys, since we are no longer in the same

playoff division,” Brinkley said. “They had one shot and now it’s over.”

The Tars made the most of that shot, scoring on their first four

possessions and establishing a dominant ground attack which has become

the program’s trademark. Senior Chris Manderino, a former quarterback

starting for the first time as a varsity tailback, rushed 32 times for

226 yards and three touchdowns.

CdM, though defeated, also took positive strides, according to

Freeman.

“(Harbor) was better than we are, but we’re improving. At least we are

able to say we stood toe-to-toe with them. They were bigger and we

couldn’t answer that. But our kids never quit.”

As Freeman praised the Sailors’ physical prowess, Brinkley also had

plaudits for the program across the bay.

“They played hard and I think they’ll continue to improve,” he said.

“I think they’re going to be very competitive in their (Pacific Coast)

league.”