NEWPORT BEACH — There was only one person on the field in red Wednesday who could even remember anything about the last time Newport Harbor High and Estancia met in boys’ soccer.
In 1999, Estancia assistant coach Robert Castellanos was a senior when the two teams ended that game in a 1-1 tie.
This time, Castellanos was standing on the sidelines helping coach the Eagles to a 1-0 win over the Sailors Wednesday at Newport Harbor.
“When we did play them, when I was playing, it was always a good game,” Castellanos said. “For us, it’s the two best teams in Newport-Mesa, and it’s a big rivalry. I wish this team was our rival instead of Costa Mesa High School because we’re usually a stronger team than Mesa, and this team’s a little more even with us when we do play them.”
Junior midfielder Jose Garcia planned to boot the ball to senior forward Eric Duarte on a free kick because most of Newport Harbor’s defense was lined up opposite Duarte.
But Sailors sophomore goalkeeper Kyle Evans ran out and fouled Duarte, giving junior forward Tony Flores the opportunity to kick the game-winning penalty kick for the Eagles (1-1-1).
Flores sent the kick high to the middle of the net, just over Evans’ outstretched arms in the 34th minute.
It was the first game for the Sailors (1-0), who missed a scrimmage and scheduled game because of rain.
“Tonight would have been nice to take it a little more, but it was our first game, but it was pretty experimental,” Newport Harbor Coach Ryan Hernandez said. “We’re not too down. There’s no negatives from it. We’re pretty positive.”
Hernandez didn’t think that Evans fouled Duarte, but put the blame on the official for what he believed was an unfair call.
“I don’t think it was a PK,” Hernandez said. “It should not have been a penalty kick.”
Estancia head coach Gannon Burks knew most of the players from Newport Harbor since he teaches at Rea Elementary.
“A lot of these kids I coached in the Daily Pilot Cup a long time ago,” Burks said. “This is very rewarding to see a lot of these kids playing. A lot of them were my players when they were younger.”
