Sailors sensational

NEWPORT BEACH — As expected, it turned out to be a Newport Harbor High blowout this week.

The Sailors opened the season with a convincing 58-7 victory over Aliso Niguel at Davidson Field Thursday night.

They were on the verge of coming away with the program’s most lopsided season-opening victory in school history until Coach Jeff Brinkley called off the dogs heading into the final quarter.

The question now is whether there will be another blowout in store next week for the Sailors.

They’re more likely to be on the other end of a trouncing when the Sailors face Long Beach Poly (1-0), the No. 2-ranked team in the state by CalHiSports.com.

Everyone will find out when the two meet at Veterans Stadium in Long Beach. Newport Harbor dropped both games last season to the Jackrabbits by an average of 24 points per game.

Newport Harbor junior linebacker Cecil Whiteside said the contest against the defending CIF Southern Section Pac-5 Division champion Jackrabbits will be close.

He has a good argument if the Sailors, ranked No. 39 in the state preseason poll, continue to roll.

They executed in all facets in the opener. No players exemplified that more than senior JB Green and Whiteside.

Green scored on a 77-yard kickoff return, a 51-yard punt return, a five-yard reception and a four-yard run.

Whiteside, an outside linebacker, recorded two sacks and blocked a punt. He picked up the loose ball inside the opponent’s 10-yard line and scored.

“I don’t know what was going on tonight,” Green said.

What happened was Newport Harbor clawed the Wolverines.

Aliso Niguel (0-2) runs the pistol offense. But the Sailors did all the shooting, ripping through the line to block two punts that they scored touchdowns on and also to sack the quarterback four times.

One time the punter didn’t even bother kicking the ball. He fell to the ground in the end zone for a safety, giving the Sailors a 44-0 lead with 9:48 left in the third quarter.

“We were coming off the ball firing,” Whiteside said. “We had already blocked [a punt] before that. They were kind of on their heels.”

Aliso Niguel, which only won once last season, couldn’t move.

At halftime, Newport Harbor allowed only one first down and took a 35-0 lead.

Offensively, the Sailors never really had long drives in the first two quarters. The special teams and defense put the offense in good field position.

When the offense got the opportunity to open the second half, senior running back Danny Miller didn’t waste time at Newport Harbor’s 27. He took a handoff and scooted to the left and down Aliso Niguel’s sideline for the score.

The Sailors scored again, without the offense. The defense recorded a safety and then Green took the ensuing free kick to the house for a 77-yard score.

It all transpired in a 12-second span.

“It’s always nice to have a game where you play well and hopefully the kids gained some confidence,” said Brinkley, who won his sixth straight opener. “Next week certainly will be a great challenge for us playing the No. 1 team in [our] division and [which] got off to a great start down in Florida [with a 29-7 opening win over Northwestern of Miami, Florida’s two-time defending state 6A champ].

“They’re very athletic. They have more guys in the NFL than any other high school in the United States. We know what to expect. We played them twice last year.”

Brinkley is hoping it doesn’t turn into a third straight blowout.

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at [email protected].