Sailors closer to shipshape

NEWPORT BEACH — Before Newport Harbor High football coach Jeff Brinkley and his staff left to scout the Sailors’ opponent for next week’s season opener, they got a look at the team they will bring to Aliso Niguel High for the Friday night contest.

And, for the most part, the Sailors coaches liked what they saw during Friday afternoon’s preseason scrimmage against former Sea View League rival Foothill at Newport Harbor.

“I was pleased with some of the things I saw,” Brinkley said. “We told them beforehand we wanted to not give up big plays on defense, keep the ball in front of them and try to create turnovers.

“And, on offense, we wanted to take care of the ball.

“I thought we did all those things and I also thought our offensive line did a good job knocking [the Knights] off the ball.”

In the controlled format, in which offensive series were broken down into down-and-distance situations with various prearranged starting spots, the Sailors’ first unit scored six touchdowns. Three of those, however, were on goal-line situations (the ball at the Foothill three-yard line) and a fourth came with the ball spotted at the Foothill 10.

Quarterback Stephen Peterson, a senior transfer from St. Francis High who split time with senior Kevin Williams, threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to returning All-CIF Southern Section Division VI receiver Jarrett Daniel.

The reigning CIF Division VI champions’ other touchdown came on a 40-yard run by junior Woody Yokoyama.

Yokoyama may have benefited most from the dress rehearsal, which is becoming more and more rare as teams are more commonly forfeiting their scrimmage for the right to play a zero week game. All four other Newport-Mesa programs played a game, instead of a scrimmage Friday.

“I still like the scrimmage format,” Brinkley said. “It allows you to put the kids in every situation they are going to face in a game.”

Yokoyama may find himself in the game more often than some might have thought even days ago. The 5-foot-10, 160-pounder, who was the third tailback in the rotation Friday, carried five times for 82 yards. In addition to his 40-yard scoring scamper, in which he darted off left tackle, bounced toward the sideline and outran the pursuit, he had carries of 18 and 12 yards.

“[Yokoyama] has run the ball well with the scout team,” said Brinkley, who is looking for someone to emerge at tailback.

Junior Riley Parker, expected to fill the void left by 2005 CIF Division VI Offensive Player of the Year and Newport-Mesa MVP Ryan Rippon, is ineligible. Brinkley Parker’s future status is uncertain, and it would be tough to count on him playing.

Junior Ben Frazier started at tailback Friday. He rushed for 37 yards on eight carries, including a pair of three-yard touchdown runs in goal-line situations. Frazier, the younger brother of returning All-CIF middle linebacker Nick Frazier, also caught two passes for 22 yards.

Peterson was seven for nine passing for 92 yards and two TDs.

Williams completed five of six attempts for 54 yards and one TD, a 10-yard strike to sophomore tight end Brandon Kula.

Brinkley, the Tars’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, said he was pleased with the play of both Williams and Peterson. He said both have taken equal repetitions in the spring, summer and fall, and Friday did little to finalize their neck-and-neck battle for the starting nod.

“We’ll have to look at the tape,” said Brinkley, who has never been a fan of rotating quarterbacks.

Daniel had two catches for 40 yards and also sprinted 22 yards with a lateral pass that was credited as a rushing attempt.

Senior receiver Brice Stillman made four catches for 48 yards, while fullback Charles Vickery had three receptions for 26 yards, including a three-yard TD catch.

Defensively, returning All-CIF lineman Mike Calabrese had three tackles at or behind the line, including one sack.

Senior defensive end Bryce Jardine had two sacks and second-team junior safety Henry Pyle had an interception.

The starting offensive line that Brinkley praised included tackles Frank Muscatello and Jerry Whitney, guards Andrew Ward and Brian Beaudette, as well as center Spencer Smith.