Junior Midget Seahawks fly high in lopsided victories

The Newport-Mesa Jr. All-American Football Junior Midget Seahawks

(ages 12-13) remained undefeated with a 40-14 victory over the host

Compton Titans Sept. 27.

Jacob Gildart returned the opening kickoff 81 yards for the first

of six Seahawk touchdowns.

On the Titans’ first offensive play, Seahawk end Brett Hanrahan

returned a fumble 35 yards for a touchdown.

Quarterback Matt Barkley then completed a pass to cousin Robbie

Boyer for the two-point conversion.

On the ensuing kickoff, Carlo Valdes tackled a Compton returner at

the 50. Boyer, Eric Rask, Justin Elbourn, Corbin McNutt, Kevin

Morgenstern, Hanrahan, Frankie Russo and Alex Vollaire forced a

four-and-out for Compton. Long runs by Gildart, Matt Garza and Rask

set up a touchdown pass from Barkley to tight end Max Stiegler.

The Seahawks held the Titans and got the ball back. Gildart

carried for another touchdown with blocking from McNutt, Elbourn,

Stephen Deverian II, Russo, Morgenstern and Stiegler. The Seahawks

held Compton’s offense again and a 39-yard run by Valdes around right

end put the ball on the 2. From there, Patrick Marin-Finn ran into

the end zone to give the Seahawks a 34-0 halftime lead.

Vollaire, Travis Prickett, Morgan Brombal, Richard Townsend, Kevin

Rask, Joshua Dill, Hunter Alder, James Burger, James McKennon II,

Tyler Harmon and John Heard provided strong defense in the second

half.

Fullback Taylor McSunas, Garza, Austin Raiger and Gildart added

runs for the Seahawks and Valdes scored the final TD.

* In action Sept. 20, the Seahawks stormed to a 49-6 victory over

the visiting Corona Panthers at Bonita Creek Park.

A Corona defensive back intercepted a pass and returned it to give

the Panthers their only lead, before the Seahawks scored 49

unanswered points.

Valdes caught a 35-yard pass from quarterback Matt Barkley to set

up the first Seahawk touchdown by Gildart. Fullback Erik Rask added a

solid run.

Hanrahan, Morgenstern, Vollaire, Rask, McNutt, Elbourn, Raiger,

Valdes, Garza, Boyer and Harmon led the Seahawks defense on the next

Panther possession.

Barkley then threw a 27-yard pass to Boyer for a first down and

Raiger carried for a gain. Garza scampered 13 yards before Valdes

caught a pass from Barkley at the 47-yard line and ran it in for a

TD. Gildart ran it in for the two-point conversion.

Prickett intercepted a Panther pass to begin the second quarter

and returned it to the 43. After two carries by Valdes and Gildart,

Garza ran along the left side for a 26-yard TD with blocking from

Rask, Boyer, Stiegler, Hanrahan, McNutt, Steven Deverian, James

McKennan II and Frankie Russo.

After a Panther fumble, Barkley threw a 25-yard pass to Boyer, who

bullied his way into the end zone for a TD.

Elbourn, McNutt, Vollaire and Morgenstern provided staunch defense

to give the Seahawks possession again.

Gildart ran 31 yards off tackle for a TD with blocks from McNutt

and Brombal.

Burger, Valdes, Raiger, Rask, Boyer, Marin-Finn, Alder, Garza and

Gildart added another defensive stop and Gildart rambled 43 yards

along the right side for another score, giving the Seahawks a 35-6

halftime lead.

Garza ran up the middle for 15 yards on the Seahawks’ first

possession of the second half and McSunas provided additional

yardage. Garza scored on a 46-yard run.

McNutt sacked the Panther quarterback twice in the fourth quarter

and first-year player Heard ran back an interception for an apparent

touchdown, but the play was called back due to a penalty.

On the next play, J.P. Gormly intercepted a Panther pass and

returned it 20 yards to set up the Seahawks’ final score. Raiger ran

39 yards for a TD with help from Dill, Harmon, Heard, Ryan Lawler and

Townsend.