Newport Harbor first again at nationals

Behind closed doors last year, judges decided Newport Harbor High’s fate in the water.

In competition, the Sailors won the Interscholastic Sailing Assn. High School National Double-Handed Championship Mallory Trophy in Annapolis, Md.

Outside of the water, one team filed a protest, ruining Newport Harbor’s back-to-back bid.

The Sailors returned to the national stage last weekend. This time no one disputed their dominance.

Newport Harbor scored 205 points and won, finishing 70 points better than the nearest competitor, San Diego Cathedral Catholic, during the two-day event held on Tampa Bay in Florida.

Under hot and humid conditions, 20 of the premier high school programs raced, including Corona del Mar, which placed third at 287.

But the Sailors owned the waters again.

Newport Harbor won the event for the fifth time since 1995. Winning again meant so much to the Sailors after last year’s setback.

“This year’s Mallory kind of avenged last year’s unfortunate third-place finish,” said Newport Harbor Coach Alexander Kirkland, whose team dropped out of first place last year because its boat made contact with a competitor at the windward mark. “We lost in a very questionable protest. We felt that we were robbed.

“I’m happy we came back and won.”

Kirkland had another reason to celebrate. The school filing the protest last year wasn’t in contention this year.

Severn of Maryland placed 11th. The waters weren’t as friendly to Severn as last year’s near the U.S. Naval Academy.

The Sailors in the ‘A’ Division were led by skipper Chris Barnard. The Georgetown University-bound senior sailed the first 17 races with sophomore Nicole Grice.

In the division’s final race, Barnard teamed with senior Brooks Clark.

Chris Segerblom was Newport Harbor’s skipper in the ‘B’ Division. He sailed with three different crew members, senior Kayla McComb, and freshmen Francesca Cappellini and Ryan Davidson.

Kirkland said Jeff Aschieris, who didn’t compete, supported the Sailors.

The Sea Kings’ team included Tyler MacDonald, Heather May, Emily Dahl, Michael Dahl, Kieran Chung, Madison Vitarelli, Brett Potter and Mackenzi Burke.

“It was nice seeing three Southern California schools at the podium,” said Kirkland, who in his second year as coach guided the Sailors to the top spot.