Sailors, Chargers finally

The campuses of Newport Harbor and Edison high schools are separated by a 10-mile drive along the coast. But for the last 26 years, they may as well have been in their own football universe.

That all changes tonight, when the Sunset League rivals square off at 7 at Huntington Beach High, in the resumption of what could become a memorable and noteworthy neighborhood rivalry.

The Sailors (4-3, 1-1 in league) will attempt to retain their league title hopes against the Chargers (5-2, 1-1), ranked No. 9 in the CIF Southern Section Pac-5 Division.

It’s the first time the two schools have played a football game since 1980, when both were members of the Sunset League. Edison won, 38-6, to cut Newport Harbor’s series lead to 4-3.

In the last two decades, not much has changed at the two traditionally strong programs, at which much of the continuity stems from their veteran coaching staffs.

Newport Harbor Coach Jeff Brinkley and Edison head man Dave White are in their 21st seasons at their respective schools. And both programs have several longtime assistant coaches, as well as some talented younger coaches who played for their current boss.

Ironically, both programs are dealing with recent hardship, as both were dealt their first league loss last week.

Their similar troubles do not end there, as both have recently lost their starting tailback to injury.

Whichever program can get back on track and emerge victorious, will be in no worse than a tie for second. The Sailors and Chargers enter the game in a four-team deadlock for second, behind Los Alamitos (2-0). Los Al, which edged Newport Harbor last week, 9-7, is also being chased by Esperanza and Fountain Valley, both of which are 1-1.

Esperanza rebounded from a 21-13 upset loss to Newport in the league opener with a 38-0 trouncing of Edison last week.

Both the Chargers and the Tars have relied on strong defenses and developing offenses.

The Sailors plan to start sophomore Michael Helfrich at tailback, in place of junior Ben Frazier, who is dealing with an ankle problem. Frazier has 647 yards and six touchdowns on 142 carries.

Helfrich has two carries for four yards, all in the season opener. He emerged from what amounted to an open tryout in practice this week, after Brinkley ruled that moving senior Charles Vickery from fullback to tailback, which had been the solution when Frazier went down the last two weeks, took away from Vickery’s effectiveness on defense at noseguard.

Helfrich will try to energize a running game that has produced just 171 yards in two league games.

Edison lost tailback Ceasare Nieto (555 yards and seven touchdowns on 83 carries) to a torn ACL in the league opener. No other Chargers ballcarrier has rushed for at least 100 yards.

The Chargers have relied upon junior quarterback Nick Crissman (1,529 passing yards and 11 touchdowns), as well as a talented receiving corps, to pick up the slack.

Crissman has completed 122 of 191 (63.9%) with four interceptions, using seniors Hunter White and Dominique Vinson as his primary targets.

White, the coach’s son who doubles as a standout outside linebacker, has 37 receptions for 590 yards and four touchdowns.

Vinson has 40 catches for 508 yards and five TDs.

“They throw the heck out of it,” Brinkley said. “We’ve played them in summer passing games, so we know their quarterback is very good. And Hunter and Vinson are very talented, but if you load up on them, they have other guys who can catch the ball. It’s going to very challenging for our secondary.”

Cornerbacks Jarrett Daniel and Brice Stillman, as well as safeties Brett Houten and Henry Pyle will try to contain the Chargers’ aerial attack.

Though it has allowed just six touchdowns in seven games, the Sailors’ defense has been run on the last two weeks. Esperanza and Los Al combined to produce 490 rushing yards, which is well more than the 353 the Tars had allowed to five nonleague foes.

Newport’s passing attack is now led by senior Kevin Williams, who won the job after four games of alternating with senior Stephen Peterson. But Williams has thrown two interceptions in each of the team’s three losses and Brinkley said he will go to Peterson, should Williams struggle at any point.

Daniel and Stillman double as the Sailors’ top receivers. Daniel has 19 catches for 251 yards and two TDs, while Stillman has 18 receptions for 289 yards and three TDs.