Newport holds on for 7-6 win

Bryce Alderton

Newport Harbor High senior goalkeeper Michael Robinson made 13 saves

against The Bishop’s in a South Coast tournament quarterfinal Friday.

And the host Sailors needed every one of them.

The three-year varsity starter anchored a defense that was tested

in the fourth quarter as The Bishop’s scored the final three goals.

But the Sailors held on for a 7-6 victory, winning their pool and

securing a berth in one semifinal at 10:40 a.m. at home against Villa

Park.

The championship match is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Newport.

“I’m excited to make the top four,” Newport Coach Jason Lynch

said.

The Sailors (4-1), who have won four straight, took a 7-3 lead 32

seconds into the fourth quarter on junior Brett Auer’s second goal

off an assist from Jovan Vranes.

But the four-goal lead eventually evaporated with The Bishop’s

(3-1) scoring two goals in a 34-second span, both on 6-on-5

advantages, trimming the Sailor lead to 7-5 with 2:19 remaining.

Jemmet made it 7-6 with 22 seconds left when he took an entry pass

following a timeout and lobbed the ball into the net.

Lynch alertly called timeout after the goal, allowing Robinson to

start with the ball when play resumed.

The second-team All-Sea View League selection last fall needed

only hold the ball over his head, allowing the clock to run out.

“[Robinson] played awesome, that’s the best he’s played,” Newport

Coach Jason Lynch said.

Experience in goal paid off, Robinson said.

“Three years of doing this is starting to come together,” Robinson

said. “I stayed low and focused on the ball.

“We had great 5-on-6 defense and played consistent the whole

time.”

Robinson stopped several point-blank shots, including a blast from

Nic Sardo in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter and the

Sailors holding a three-goal lead.

“You have to position yourself to be in the right place at the

right time,” Robinson said.

The Sailors found themselves a man down seven times, while only

drawing two ejections.

“We had to put our top players on their top players,” Lynch said.

“Clay Jorth did an excellent job of guarding [Nic Sardo], their best

player.”

Jorth also scored Newport’s first goal off an assist from Carson

Hill, 32 seconds into the contest.

Hill tied Auer with two goals while Jovan Vranes and freshman Nate

Castillo each scored one goal. Jemmet led all scorers with three

goals.

Auer, Vranes and Castillo accounted for six of Newport’s nine

steals, leading to several counterattacks.

The Sailors led, 3-2, at halftime, but upped their advantage to

6-3 by the end of the third quarter, literally.

With the clock winding down, Vranes stole the ball from an

opponent and heaved the ball into the cage, from mid-pool, with the

clock showing, :0035.

Lynch said Vranes’ goal changed the momentum.

The Sailors scored on both of their 6-on-5 chances.

“[Drawing ejections] is something we need to do better,” Lynch

said. “We need to drive more on offense and have more motion.”

*--*

South Coast tournament Quarterfinal

Newport Harbor 7, The Bishop’s 6

Score by Quarters

The Bishop’s 1 1 1 3 -- 6

Newport 3 0 3 1 -- 7

The Bishop’s -- Jemmet 3, May 2, Sardo 1. Saves --

Balaraman 9. Newport -- Auer 2, Hill 2, Vranes 1,

Castillo 1, Jorth 1. Saves -- Robinson 13.

*--*