DIVISION IV : Sailors Force 7 Turnovers for Big Victory

NEWPORT BEACH —  There will be much to remember and much forgiven about Newport Harbor’s 28-21 victory over Corona del Mar Friday night in the Division IV semifinals.

The missed opportunities. The squandered the lead. The big mistake. All of that will be forgotten with time.

Wade Tift bursting up the middle for a 30-yard touchdown run. The last defensive stand. One more big play. All of which have been mentally bronzed for the ages.

Those moments gave Newport Harbor a memory like never before, a spot in a championship game. The Sailors, so close before in the school’s 61-year history, will play for the title next week against the winner of tonight’s game between Irvine and Foothill.

“It’s great, it’s awesome, it’s what we deserved,” linebacker Steve Gonzalez said.

And earned.

The Sailors (11-2) forced seven turnovers, but watched, almost helplessly, as a 13-8 fourth-quarter lead wilted.

They came back because of Tift, who rushed for 153 yards, and quarterback GreggWilliams, who found consistency at an opportune time. They held on because of a defense that forced seven turnovers.

“We let a lot chances get away, but we never gave up,” Coach Steve Brinkley said.

They could have, easily.

Corona del Mar took the lead on a nine-yard touchdown run by Tom Hess. The Sea Kings appeared bound for the title game when Chris Taylor scooped up a fumble and went 65 yards for a touchdown to give them a 21-13 lead with seven minutes left.

“We were down, but we couldn’t let it get away,” Tift said. “We just had to keep our composure.”

They did, driving 53 yards in a little more than two minutes.

Williams, who had labored throughout, was the catalyst.

On fourth and two, he hit Mike Freeman for six-yard gain to the Sea King 39.

Two plays later, Williams hit Chad LaBass in the back of the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown pass. He then connected with LaBass again for the two-point conversion to tie the score.

Williams finished 10 of 21 for 123 yards.

“Gregg didn’t have his best game tonight, but he did the job when we needed it,” Brinkley said.

It was then left up to the defense to come up with another big play. The Sailors forced four previous fumbles, forced created yet another one, when Chris Edwards stripped Hess of the ball to give it to Newport Harbor on the the Sea King 42.

The Sailors played for a field goal they never had to attempt. On second and 18, Tift blew through a big hole and went untouched for a 30-yard touchdown run.

“I saw the end zone ahead of me and I just had to get there with the ball,” Tift said. “It was beautiful.”

That the Sailors had to rally was surprising even to Brinkley. He watched his team force turnover after turnover and build a 10-0 first half lead, but the Sea Kings would not quit.

Hess broke loose for a 67-yard run to the two with 24 seconds left in the half. After a penalty, quarterback Matt Evans put a pass up for grabs and Hess out-jumped Edwards for the touchdown.

Evans then hit Chris Quinn for the two-point conversion and the Sea Kings trailed, 10-8, at halftime.

“I think if we could have gone into halftime with a 10-0 lead, it would have been over,” Brinkley said. “But they kept coming back.”

The Sea Kings did so despite mistakes.

Corona del Mar gained 332 yards, 248 of which was rushing. Hess gained 109 yards and J.R. Walz gained 98.

But turnovers kept the Sea Kings from sustaining any drives.

When Walz fumbled on the on the eight, the Sailors had a opportunity to take a commanding lead. But Williams missed badly on two pass attempts and they had to settle for a 35-yard field goal by Doug Stuckey for a 13-8 lead.

“There is so much I can’t remember about this game,” Brinkley said. “I’ll have to watch the film to recall all the plays that happened. What I do remember is we survived and will play next week.”

* Newport Harbor 28, Corona del Mar 21

NH--Tift 10 run (Stuckey kick)

NH--FG Stuckey 31

CdM--Hess 7 pass from Evans (Quinn pass from Evans)

NH--FG Stuckey 35

CdM--Hess 9 run (pass failed)

CdM--Taylor 65 fumble return ( Hess kick)

NH--LaBass 23 pass from Williams (LaBass pass from Williams)

NH--Tift 30 run (Stuckey kick)

LEADING RUSHERS--CdM: Hess 9-109; NH: Tift 26-153. LEADING PASSER--CdM: Evans 6-11-1, 68; NH: Williams 10-21-0, 123. LEADING RECEIVERS--CdM: Quinn 3-37; NH: Freeman 6-44.

Attendance--4,500.