TWO-MINUTE DRILL

Sage Hill School’s Pete Anderson had to sweat out his first win as head coach, after watching the Lightning nearly squander a 16-point lead in the final five minutes of their 30-26 win over visiting Fairmont Prep Friday.

Anderson, who was an assistant coach for the Lightning in 2004 and 2005, saw his defense eventually stop the Huskies on their last possession to preserve the win.

“I feel about 10 years older than I did at 7 o’clock,” said Anderson after the win. “But we’ll take it. It feels good. I’m really proud of the guys. They’ve been busting their butts through 25 practices, and two-a-days. School hasn’t even started yet, and they’ve been here for three weeks, and it’s been hot. But [it’s been] nothing but hard work. I’m proud to be associated with the whole crew.”

• Corona del Mar High senior tight end Ali Meshkin caught two touchdown passes from quarterback Hunter Alder, but it was his devastating block on two defenders that allowed Alder to glide into the end zone. Near the 10 is where the 6-4, 217-pound Meshkin cleared the way for Alder to score on a 15-yard bootleg in CdM’s 26-6 win Friday at Laguna Beach.

• Sage Hill senior quarterback Jamie McGee showed off his talented array of receivers, completing passes to five different players in the first half alone.

Senior Nick Witte, who didn’t play football last year but was second-team All-Academy League as a basketball guard, led the aerial attack with 105 receiving yards. All five of his catches went for first downs.

“He’s able to take some of the attention away from [fellow receivers Michael] Higgins and [Preston] Oklejas,” Anderson said. “You can’t really key on any one of our receivers.”

• CdM’s defense allowed a mere 12 rushing yards against the Breakers on 21 attempts.

• It wasn’t the way Estancia High Coach Mike Bargas wanted to make his debut, so no one could blame the normally chipper former Newport Harbor assistant for the somber look he sported Friday night.

“All right, let’s just rip the Band-Aid off,” he said after the game, knowing he would have to spend a few minutes discussing what went wrong with reporters before he could offer his team a postgame address.

• Costa Mesa’s 62-7 loss to Savanna Friday night at Orange Coast College was the most lopsided season-opening defeat in the 48-season history of the program. It also tied a school record for points allowed in a game.

Only a 62-6 loss to Santa Ana in 1963 was a bigger drubbing.

• After reviewing film of Friday night’s game, Bargas was encouraged by one thing:

All of the Eagles’ mistakes were more or less correctable, he said. There weren’t any fatigue problems, and Bargas was relieved by that, especially since he’s his own strength and conditioning coach.

• CdM running back J.D. Abbott pushed his way to 78 yards on 10 carries Friday. Abbott, a 6-1, 172-pound sophomore, led CdM ground gainers, besting senior starter Tyler Harmon by six yards.

• Penalize this! The Sea Kings were flagged 11 times for 75 yards, six times for 35 yards in the fourth quarter, prohibiting them from scoring more points against the Breakers. Coach Dick Freeman said the penalties were a result of “sloppy” play.

• The Lightning defense did a good job of shutting down Fairmont Prep for much of the game, especially after the Huskies marched 77 yards on the opening drive.

The 10 minute, six-second possession ended when Fairmont’s Richard Johnson scored on a run with 1:54 left in the first quarter.

Sage held the Huskies to just one first down in their next three possessions, spanning to late in the third quarter.

• Costa Mesa Coach Jeremy Osso had an extended discussion with Savanna Coach Roger Whalen, asking for an explanation for why the Rebels were passing, including a first-down incompletion, with a 55-point lead in the final five minutes.

Whalen said an assistant coach was calling the plays and that the Mustangs were stacking the line with nine defenders. The two coaches eventually shook hands and parted with smiles on their faces.

• As the scoreboard indicated, Savanna’s offense created a virtual track meet against Costa Mesa. The Rebels produced double-figure yardage on 16 plays, including 15 runs, and seven rushing attempts resulted in at least 20 yards.

Six different Savanna runners carried for at least 10 yards.

• Costa Mesa High junior punter Justin Rodriguez gave himself a tough act to follow on his opening punt Friday. With the benefit of a good roll, the returning second-team all-leaguer’s boot carried 59 yards before being downed on the Savanna five-yard line.

• Newport-Mesa teams extended streaks with last week’s action.

Corona del Mar has now won seven straight season-openers against four different schools.

The Sea Kings have now beaten Laguna Beach nine straight.

Costa Mesa has lost a school-record six straight openers, the last four by a combined 168-21.

Sage Hill has won four straight openers.

— From staff reports