| 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corona del Mar | 0 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 20 |
| Newport Harbor | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
Newport Beach – The Newport Harbor football team ended a streak it most definitely wanted to end, snapping Corona del Mar’s 10-game win streak in the rivalry series with a 21-20 on Friday at Davidson Field in the 61st annual Battle of the Bay.
By beating the Sea Kings for the first time since 2012, the Sailors, coupled with Huntington Beach’s 63-13 loss to Los Alamitos, have moved into sole possession of third place in the Sunset League with one league game remaining. Only the top three teams from the Sunset League automatically qualify for the CIF-SS.
“As soon as the clock hit zero, zero, zero, all I could think of is immediately the moment I got hired here. I can’t say enough how much I appreciate these players, this program, community, administration, teachers, the staff, everybody does so much work around here to help us get to this point and thank you so much to everybody from the bottom of the heart,” Sailors coach Peter Lofthouse said.
After both teams were unsuccessful in its first two drives, Newport Harbor, which turned the ball over on downs on its first drive, eventually got its offense into a rhythm. Eventually, Jaden O’Neal found Josiah Lamarque who appeared to have been tackled, but broke loose from the defenders and scored a 47-yard catch and run touchdown.
Corona del Mar struggled early offensively, despite having some success with its two wide receiver screen passes. The second quarter saw both teams go three and out on their drives, but when the Sailors punted, Je’Von Short nearly muffed a punt, but recovered on the Sea Kings’ five-yard line.
After a delay of game penalty backed the Sea Kings up more, Annett took off with the ball but fumbled as he tried to get back to the line of scrimmage with Newport Harbor recovering on the seven. The Sailors cashed in on the turnover, as O’Neal found Cade Fegel for the seven-yard score to put them up 14-0.
Knowing it couldn’t give the ball back to the Newport Harbor again and fall behind further, Corona Del Mar got its tight ends involved such as Breck Clemer, Zach Giuliano and Sebastian Boydell in the receiving game in addition to the likes of Russell Weir and Dorsett Stecker. Eventually, on their first red zone drive, Annett found Giuliano wide open for the Sea Kings’ first score.
After the Sailors went three and out on their next drive, the Sea Kings got the ball back despite only having three minutes to work with one time out. But they made it work, as Annett eventually found Boydell for the equalizer and after trailing 14-0, the Sea Kings tied it at 14-14 going into halftime.
This year’s Battle of the Bay game was almost eerily familiar as last year’s with the Sailors going up 14-0 only to see the Sea Kings storm back to take the win. It was starting to look that way when Corona del Mar took the lead as Annett found Stecker for a 22-yard score.
But the biggest turning point of the game came on the ensuing extra point as the kick hit the left upright and was no good, leaving the door open for the Sailors to take the lead.
After the Sailors punted again, the Sea Kings had their chance to go up two scores, but eventually turned the ball on downs after Annett’s pass was incomplete to Giuliano on fourth down. After Newport Harbor punted four plays after, Corona del Mar made another mistake as they were whistled for a personal foul on the punt (roughing the long snapper?) continuing the drive.
The drive got all the way down to the Sea Kings’ 19-yard line, but the Sailors were faced with a fourth and 10 situation, almost as similar as 2012 when they needed a touchdown on fourth and 20 late in the fourth quarter. But like 11 years ago, the Sailors recreated “the catch,” as O’Neal found Fegel deep in the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown and just like that, they were up 21-20.
After getting the ball back from the Sea Kings, the Sailors had their chance to put the game away by getting a first down, as they faced a fourth and inches situation. But their QB sneak up the middle was snuffed out, as Corona del Mar took over at midfield with a chance to win.
After their first two plays didn’t get them far, Annett took matters into his own hands by attempting to scramble for the first down. But the ruling on the spot was that he was short, creating a fourth and inches situation for the Sea Kings.
Corona del Mar put the ball in the hands of Annett to try and get the first down, but he was stuffed… and went nowhere, giving the ball back to Newport Harbor.
On the Sailors’ next play, Jagger Blauwkamp ran up the middle for 11 yards to give the Sailors the first down and bring back the victory bell to Irvine Ave. for the first time in over 10 years.
“It was a game that went back and forth, every kid on that field gave everything they had from both programs and that’s what you expect in a rivalry game,” Lofthouse said.
Newport Harbor (4-5, 2-2) will look to lock up the final automatic qualifier from the Sunset League as they play Fountain Valley at Cap Sheue Field next Friday at 7 p.m. Corona Del Mar (4-5, 1-3) will look to end the season .500 as they host Huntington Beach at Davidson Field next Friday at 7 p.m.