Esperanza

When: Tonight, 7 Where: Newport Harbor High Key Sailors (4-3, 0-2 in Sunset League): Sr. LB Brandon Kula; Sr. RB-DB Michael Helfrich (93 carries for 492 yards and four TDs); Jr. WR-LB Cecil Whiteside (23 catches for 311 yards and three TDs) Key Aztecs (6-1, 2-0): Sr. RB Jared Moore (106 carries for 554 yards and seven TDs); Sr. DB Dane Poole; Jr. QB Drew Huusfeldt (47 of 96 passing for 713 yards and six TDs and six interceptions, 46 carries for 282 yards and two TDs)

NEWPORT BEACH — Four weeks ago, the Newport Harbor High boys’ volleyball team was swept at Esperanza. Simply put, it did not sit well with the Sailors. Tuesday was an opportunity for the Tars to wipe their hands clean of that embarrassment and deliver the Aztecs their first Sunset League loss. This opportunity would not be wasted. After jumping out to a quick two-set lead, the Sailors dropped the third set and found themselves in a 16-11 hole in the fourth set. Coach Dan Glenn called a timeout and urged his players to get into the right position and go get the ball.

ANAHEIM - Dustin Illingworth scored 26 points and Aaron Yarnal added 16 points for Newport Harbor High's boys basketball team in Saturday's 54-51 loss to Esperanza in the third-place game of the Anaheim Convention Center Holiday Basketball Classic. After falling behind, 13-8, after the first quarter, the Sailors (6-3) rallied to take a two-point lead into the fourth quarter. But the Newport could not hold the lead and finished the tournament in fourth place behind Esperanza (5-5)

The Corona del Mar roller hockey team erased a one-goal deficit with three unanswered scores of its own to earn a 4-2 victory over Esperanza Oct. 30 at the Worldwide Roller Hockey Center in Irvine.Dan Freeman scored the final two goals for CdM, which trailed, 2-1, early in the second period. Michael Bolton, who assisted on one of Freeman's goals, took Matt Benvenuti's cross-ice pass to fire a one-timer past Esperanza goaltender Camden Partridge for CdM's first score.

The Newport Harbor Frosh-Soph Roller Hockey club skated to an 11-3 win over Esperanza at the Wayne Gretzky Roller Hockey Center. With a 48% shooting average the team put in 11 of 23 shots on goal. The scoring was led by linemates Jesus Sotelo and Collin Insley with three goals and three assists each, followed by Chris Willard with two goals. Zach Boston, who also had an assist, capped the scoring, while Kyle Pfeiffer had two assists and Bryce Henrie and Lindsay Taylor scored one goal each.

NEWPORT BEACH — Five girls’ tennis players went into Newport Harbor High’s crucial Sunset League match against Esperanza under the weather. The Sailors more than survived at home. Newport Harbor beat the Aztecs, 14-4, to clinch at least a share of the league title as it improved to 8-0. The Sailors, the No. 10-ranked team in the CIF Southern Section Division II coaches’ poll, beat Esperanza (6-2 in league) for the second straight time this season.

The last time Newport Harbor High faced Esperanza, all Coach Jeff Brinkley recalls is the football field being wet. The Sailors definitely got their feet wet in their return to the Sunset League last year. In their first league game, they pulled out a stunning 21-13 victory at home. No showers are in the forecast for Round 2 tonight at 7, as Newport Harbor plays Esperanza at Valencia High. Again the Aztecs enter the game undefeated and ranked in the CIF Southern Section Pac-5 Division.

NEWPORT BEACH — Most teams enjoy a home-field advantage. Still, it's a little bit larger for the Newport Harbor High girls' soccer team, which plays its home games at Davidson Field — snug by soccer standards. "It's really difficult [for the opposition] to get wins out here," Newport Coach Josh Brooks said. "The room isn't there. When you look up, instead of having one player coming at you, you've got two or three." The football field was appropriate Thursday, where the Sailors were trying to pay Esperanza back for a touchdown — seven goals — it had scored during the teams' previous Sunset League meeting.

NEWPORT BEACH — Four weeks ago, the Newport Harbor High boys’ volleyball team was swept at Esperanza. Simply put, it did not sit well with the Sailors. Tuesday was an opportunity for the Tars to wipe their hands clean of that embarrassment and deliver the Aztecs their first Sunset League loss. This opportunity would not be wasted. After jumping out to a quick two-set lead, the Sailors dropped the third set and found themselves in a 16-11 hole in the fourth set. Coach Dan Glenn called a timeout and urged his players to get into the right position and go get the ball.

PLACENTIA — Not bound by the tug of subjectivity, a philosopher might suggest there’s a lesson in the second helping of coin-flip futility forced upon the Newport Harbor High football program Friday night. But without the luxury of objectivity, Sailors Coach Jeff Brinkley found almost no words, and even less reason in the scene that brought a sudden halt to the postgame celebration after a 13-10 Sunset League win over host Esperanza at Valencia High. Not more than 10 minutes after the Aztecs’ would-be game-tying field goal from 37-yards out sailed wide left with three seconds left, giving the Sailors (6-4, 3-2 in league)

Newport Harbor vs. Esperanza When/where: Tonight at 7, at Valencia High Key Sailors: Jr. TB Cedric Whitaker (916 rushing yards, 12 total TDs); Sr. WR-LB Cecil Whiteside (23 receptions), Sr. WR-CB Parker Norton (30 receptions). Breakdown: After Los Alamitos beat Fountain Valley Thursday, the Sailors (5-4, 2-2 in league) will need to defeat Esperanza (4-5, 1-3), to move into a three-way tie for second place with Fountain Valley and Los Al. Since the three teams are all 1-1 against each other, a coin flip would decide the league’s Nos. 2 and 3 playoff representatives in the CIF Southern Section Pac-5 Division playoffs ... A Newport Harbor loss would mean the Sailors would be denied an automatic playoff berth and scenarios indicate getting the division’s lone at-large berth is highly unlikely ... The Tars are coming off a dominant 49-0 win over Marina that snapped a two-game losing streak ... Esperanza, which beat Marina, 52-27, on Oct. 29, comes off a 21-19 loss to arch-rival Los Al last week ... Newport Harbor beat Los Al, 23-20, on Oct. 16 ... Esperanza beat Mira Costa, 21-20, while the Tars lost to the Mustangs, 24-10, in nonleague play.

CORONA DEL MAR — For the big matches at home, Corona del Mar High has a bagpiper play. The bagpiper has performed a handful of times before the start of the boys’ water polo action. It’s not as if CdM needs a boost at home. The bagpiper has been spotted on top of a roof overlooking the pool. He probably could’ve played in the water for CdM Wednesday. The No. 3-seeded Sea Kings continued to win at home, beating Esperanza, 12-7, in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs.

NEWPORT BEACH — Five girls’ tennis players went into Newport Harbor High’s crucial Sunset League match against Esperanza under the weather. The Sailors more than survived at home. Newport Harbor beat the Aztecs, 14-4, to clinch at least a share of the league title as it improved to 8-0. The Sailors, the No. 10-ranked team in the CIF Southern Section Division II coaches’ poll, beat Esperanza (6-2 in league) for the second straight time this season.

NEWPORT BEACH — Being perfect isn’t easy. The Newport Harbor High boys’ volleyball team remains so in the Sunset League. The Sailors showed Monday night they’re not so untouchable at home. The Sailors rallied to beat Esperanza, 20-25, 25-23, 18-25, 26-24, 15-12, dodging a bullet in their pursuit of a second straight undefeated league championship campaign. Coach Dan Glenn has seen this kind of performance at home from Newport Harbor (19-7, 6-0 in league)

Newport Harbor High senior JB Green, the Daily Pilot Dream Team Offensive Player of the Year, will attend USC and attempt to make the football team beginning as a preferred walk-on. Green was also named the Co-Offensive Back of the Year of the Sunset League, sharing the award with Esperanza senior Jared Moore. Green was a multi-purpose star for the Sailors, finishing with 12 touchdowns, seven on receptions, two on rushes, one on a kickoff return, another on a punt return and one on a fumble return.

When: Tonight, 7 Where: Newport Harbor High Key Sailors: Jr. WR-LB Cecil Whiteside (25 catches for 321 yards and four TDs); Sr. RB-SS Michael Helfrich (113 carries for 619 yards and five TDs); Sr. CB Danny Miller. Key Vikings: Sr. QB Zack Couey (81 for 162 passing for 879 yards and five TDs and seven interceptions); Sr. RB Sam Wilson (832 yards and 11 TDs); SR. WR Drew Jordan (19 catches for 221 yards and three TDs). Breakdown: With two regular-season games left, Newport Harbor (5-3, 1-2 in the Sunset League)

NEWPORT BEACH — In a must-win situation, Newport Harbor High Coach Jeff Brinkley had no tricks up his sleeve on Halloween Night. “The kids knew the situation,” Brinkley said. “I don’t [kid around with] them.” Brinkley was not fooling around. Seventy-six seconds before the first half ended, when it seemed the play before the Sailors almost buried Esperanza by going ahead by three touchdowns, Brinkley called a timeout and walked onto the field.