Barry Faulkner
NEWPORT BEACH - The action on the field Thursday night would
clearly indicate the Newport Harbor High football team is ready for its
Sea View League opener Oct. 12 at Aliso Niguel.
But, it's the scene in the school training room and/or team doctor's
office, which may provide a better indication of just how ready the
Sailors will be after a 42-0 pasting of nonleague visitor Millikan.
The hosts (4-0-1), ranked No. 6 in Orange County and No. 2 in CIF
Southern Section Division VI, scored on their first five possessions,
burning the Rams primarily through the air.
Senior quarterback Morgan Craig misfired on his first pass of the
night, then connected on his final 12, including touchdown connections of
7, 36 and 80 yards, the latter two to senior Adam Kerns.
Craig's 226 passing yards are easily his career high and are the most
produced by a Harbor quarterback in 37 games. Steve Gorman threw for 247
yards in a Week 6 loss to Corona del Mar in 1998.
Junior backup Mike McDonald came in and added to the aerial assault,
hooking up with senior Jon Vandersloot on a 12-yard TD pass that
finalized the scoring.
Junior tailback Dartangan Johnson missed triple digits for the first
time this season, but finished with 94 yards and two TDs on 17 carries.
"I thought we drove the ball very consistently," Newport Coach Jeff
Brinkley said. "We tried to take what (the 1-4 Rams) gave us. Morgan
threw the ball well and we have a lot of guys who can catch it. I'd say
(13 of 14 for 93% by the two quarterbacks combined) is over the 60% we
shoot for. And there were no interceptions.
"I also thought (Johnson) ran the ball very well. He had a good
average (5.5 yards per carry)."
Brinkley was also pleased with his defense, which posted its second
shutout of the season and lowered its average points allowed to 5.6 per
game. That total will allow Harbor to maintain at least a share of the
Orange County lead in scoring defense, depending on what Laguna Beach
does tonight against Santa Ana Valley.
Millikan's best scoring chance came on an 18-play drive that began
after Harbor's first touchdown. After getting to the Sailors' 3, however,
Jose Barragan bounced a 20-yard field-goal attempt off the left upright
to take some wind out of the Long Beach school's sails.
The closest Millikan got to the goal line the rest of the night was
the Sailors' 26, from where Kerns picked off a pass at his own 5 and
returned it 82 yards to set up the Tars' final TD.
