Two-minute drill

* Trevor Theriot was suited up, but did not play for the Newport

Harbor High football team Thursday against Dana Hills.

The senior two-way starter at running back and linebacker

participated in the pregame coin flip as one of the Sailor captains

despite dislocating his left elbow Sept. 23 in the Battle of the Bay.

Newport Coach Jeff Brinkley said the team has come to expect

Theriot to be on the field.

“The kids understand what Trevor is all about,” Brinkley said. “I

don’t think it surprised any one that he was out there [as a

captain].”

* Estancia High Coach Craig Fertig said he wanted the Eagles to

score a touchdown on special teams and Daniel Cheesboro returned a

kickoff 93 yards for a score at the start of the second quarter.

It was the first time Cheesboro, senior transfer from Costa Mesa

playing in his first game, touched the ball as a varsity player.

* Sage Hill School is planning to play its first home night game

when it hosts Silver Valley Oct. 15.

Coach Tom Monarch received clearance from the Irvine Company and

the City of Newport Beach two weeks ago to raise the 80-foot-high

steel light towers on the Lightning’s field.

Monarch said he planned to bring in the portable light towers to

coincide with homecoming festivities that weekend.

This is the first step in what Monarch hopes will eventually lead

to Sage playing all its home games at night.

But he realizes the school has other needs.

“Permanent lights aren’t a priority,” Monarch said. “The school

needs buildings with classrooms and storage units. There has been

talk about a softball field and a pool.”

Crews are scheduled to set up the lights on either Oct. 13 or 14,

Monarch said.

The Silver Valley game, currently scheduled for 3 p.m., would be

moved to 7 p.m. if the lights are installed.

* Estancia is outscoring opponents this season, but just barely.

The Eagles have scored 87 points and their opponents have scored 84.

* The Newport Harbor defense has been stingy this season.

Opponents are averaging 11 points a game and just fewer than 165

offensive yards in the first four contests. The run defense has been

especially tough, holding foes to 2.8 yards per carry.

* With its 35 points against Fairmont, Sage Hill is now averaging

31 points through its first four games. The Lightning defense is

allowing 10.5 points a contest.

Sage has allowed 81 combined yards of total offense in its last

two games.

* Monarch’s strategy of “squib” kicks paid off against Fairmont.

Lightning kicker Amy Werblin sent short, line-drive blasts at

Fairmont, forcing it to bunch its blockers more tightly than normal.

The Huskies twice bobbled the kickoff before recovering.

“We got burned [in a 40-7 victory against Twin Pines Sept. 24],”

said Monarch, a reference to an 86-yard kickoff return for a

touchdown that resulted in the Bobcats’ only points.

* The Corona del Mar High football program includes a half-page

tribute to retired former assistant coach Ed Blanton. Blanton, a

former Estancia head coach, spent two stints as an assistant at CdM,

the most recent lasting six seasons, before he moved to Sacramento.

His latest coaching assignment included coordinating the offense

in 2003 and 2002, after previously guiding the secondary.

The tribute praises Blanton’s intensity, leadership and coaching

skills, but lists his greatest strength as instilling in his players

values and a love of the game.

* Brinkley, in his 19th season, is 18-2 in games following Battle

of the Bay clashes with Corona del Mar.

Two victories included in that mark were achieved in the following

season’s opener.

* Both of Sage Hill’s shutouts have come against Fairmont Prep.

The Lightning downed the Huskies, 27-0, in 2002. Sage holds a 2-1

edge in the series, in which the away team has prevailed each time.

Sage has two shutouts in 23 varsity games, contrary to a previous

report in the Daily Pilot.

* The Lightning (3-1) are off to their best start in this their

third varsity season. The 2002 squad was 3-2, before stumbling the

final four games.

* Former Costa Mesa varsity and freshman football coach John

Carney attended the Mustangs’ 42-7 loss at Westminster High Friday.

It was the first time the retired teacher-coach had seen Costa Mesa

play this season.

* In an ironic twist, Corona del Mar High coaches implored

officials to eject Valencia receiver Rashad Chambers, after the Tiger

standout punched a Sea King in the facemask in open view of the

officials and just about everyone else in attendance Saturday night

at Newport Harbor High.

Chambers, who was ejected, wears jersey No. 2, the same number

worn by CdM senior Kevin Welch, who was sitting out Saturday after

being ejected for committing a personal foul during the Sept. 23

clash with Newport Harbor at the same field.

* First-year Dana Hills Coach Armando Gonzalez is no rookie to

high school coaching. He was head man at Franklin High in Los Angeles

for 17 years.

The Panthers were league champions 13 times under Gonzalez, but he

said he is most proud that the team reached the playoffs all 17 years

he was at the helm.

* Estancia players displayed the new script “Eagles” decal on

their helmets Friday.

* The 35-20 Newport Harbor win over Dana Hills was the Tars’ fifth

straight over the Dolphins.

The 20 points is the most surrendered by the Sailors’ defense in

the five-game streak. The average score of the previous four games

was 36.5-10.8.

* Junior James Coder leads Newport Harbor with 165 receiving yards

and three touchdowns. Senior Alex Orth is second with 146 and senior

Spencer Link is third with 135.

Both Orth and Coder have 13 receptions, while Link has hauled in

nine passes.

* Among those cheering for CdM Saturday night was former Major

League pitcher Gregg Olson.

The 14-year veteran, who was American League Rookie of the Year as

the Baltimore Orioles’ closer in 1989 and retired in 2001 after two

seasons with the Dodgers, is a Newport Beach resident.

Olson attended Saturday to watch his daughter, a youth

cheerleader, participate in the halftime entertainment.

* Estancia is now 5-5 all-time against Orange.

The last Eagle victory was a 42-0 shutout in 2000. The average

score during the series has been, 21-17, Orange.