Sailors ride Buzzy

VALLEY GLEN — Buzzy Yokoyama was out of breath, trying to make sense of what just happened on the football field. Everyone wanted a piece of the Newport Harbor High running back.

Teammates, coaches, fans and parents surrounded Yokoyama. He created a buzz every time he ran with the ball against Loyola of Los Angeles.

Thirty-five times the junior carried it, and 294 yards later, No. 2 now ranks No. 4 all-time at Newport Harbor when it comes to single-game performances. The one Yokoyama turned in on Friday night was an unforgettable one.

In his second start in the backfield, Yokoyama sped past would-be tacklers, ran over them and stiffed armed them away en route to leading the Sailors to a 35-28 victory at Los Angeles Valley College.

Yokoyama scored each of his three rushing touchdowns in the second half, when it mattered most to keep the eighth-ranked team in the CIF Southern Section Pac-5 Division undefeated two games into the season.

The year started with many doubting whether anyone could step in at tailback after Cedric Whitaker did not return after a stellar last season. Through two games, Yokoyama has shown he can play.

The 5-foot-10, 198-pounder is pound-for-pound one of the top backs in Orange County. Like every running back, the first people Yokoyama thanked were those big boys up front doing all the dirty work.

"I could not have done it without them," said Yokoyama, crediting left tackle JB Salem, left guard Trevor Lawrence, center Connor Miki, right guard Ted Barry and right tackle Dillon Gillette.

"I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing."

Quarterback Austin Rios likes what Yokoyama has done so far, keeping the pressure off him.

Rios will continue to hand off the ball to Yokoyama. It was Rios' 18th birthday and he celebrated by watching Yokoyama run crazy.

What Yokoyama did was run all over Loyola (1-2) and into the school record books.

Yokoyama tied Andre Stewart's 294-yard performance on the ground, which Stewart recorded 11 years ago. Yokoyama was in first grade back then.

Yokoyama finished 17 yards short of breaking the school record of 310 yards set by Stewart. There are many more games for Yokoyama to chase the mark.

The next game is a big one. Newport Harbor plays Corona del Mar in the Battle of the Bay. Both teams enter the rivalry game undefeated.

Yokoyama made sure the Sailors stayed perfect by giving them the lead every time Loyola went ahead or tied the game in the second half.