Two-minute drill

* With only Newport Harbor High making the CIF Southern Section

playoffs, it is the first time since 1995 that three of the four

Newport-Mesa District schools have been grounded at the end of the

regular season. That year, only Estancia reached the postseason.

* Costa Mesa missed the CIF playoffs for the first time since 2000

and only the second time in the last eight seasons.

* It was probably of little consolation to the Sea Kings, but

University Coach Mark Cunningham took notice of Corona del Mar’s

youth. The Sea Kings had just one senior starter on offense and two

on defense.

“Next year it’s not going to be Northwood, it’s not going to be

Tesoro,” Cunningham said to Sea Kings Coach Dick Freeman when the two

met at midfield after Friday’s game. “It’s going to be CdM.”

* Corona del Mar played its final game without two standouts,

running back and defensive back Wess Presson and linebacker Shaun

Mohler.

Presson missed the final two games after injuring his leg on his

first carry against Northwood in Week 8. Mohler left the Tesoro game

in Week 9 with a shoulder injury.

* There were two penalties in the Corona del Mar-University game

before a second had even ticked off the clock.

The Trojans were flagged for delay of game when they didn’t come

out on the field quick enough in the referee’s decision.

Corona del Mar was then penalized when the opening kickoff went

out of bounds.

* In a weird coincidence, Pacifica scored on the first play of

both the second and fourth quarters against Estancia.

* The three wins Eagles Coach Craig Fertig posted in his first

season tied the most for any first-year coach in the school’s

history.

Phil Brown in 1969 and Ken Keifer in 1974 are the only other

first-year coaches to post three wins. The other seven coaches in

Estancia’s program all posted two wins or less in their first year,

including two coaches that won just one game and two others that were

winless in the first year.

* Spencer Link is listed as a senior in Newport Harbor’s football

program, but rest assured Sailor fans, the standout receiver is in

fact a junior.

* Link needed assistance off the field twice with what appeared to

be pain in his knee, but he later appeared fine, especially after his

95-yard, catch-and-run touchdown.

* When Newport Harbor’s Tom Jackson and Link hooked up on that

95-yard touchdown Friday, they took over the longest pass play of the

year, beating out Corona del Mar’s Tom Welch and Kevin Welch, who had

hooked up for a 92-yard touchdown a week prior.

* Mesa attempted fake punts on its first two possessions -- each

inside their own 40-yard line -- but turned the ball over on downs

both times. Santa Ana scored after each drive.

“We were trying to win the game,” Perkins said.

* Senior Luke Sapolu, who usually plays center, started at left

guard while senior Rafael Luna got the nod at center.

Each provided valuable holes for Mesa backs to maneuver through

along with stalwarts Bryce Carich, Rodrigo Gutierrez, David Vernotico

and Zenri Kato.

Senior fullback Junior Epenesa was also in on several lead blocks

to spring senior tailback Omar Ruiz free.

* With 237 more rushing yards Friday, Ruiz finished the regular

season with 1,548, giving him 2,330 in a three-year varsity career.

* After Sage Hill School’s season-ending, 49-14 loss to Academy

League visitor Brethren Christian, seniors Ray Lim and Marcel Sohl

spearheaded an attempt to douse Coach Tom Monarch with a large bucket

of ice water. Monarch saw it coming and took off running to avoid

being soaked, darting away from the approaching water brigade. When

Lim finally launched the ice water, it missed Monarch almost

entirely, prompting the Lightning head man to quickly provide yet

another coaching point.

“Once again,” Monarch said admonishingly to Lim and his

co-conspirators, “bad angle [of pursuit].”

* The Sage Hill defense used some rather unique terminology in the

game against Brethren Christian, as several times the defensive

captain’s call to align his teammates was “Fish on wheat.”

* Monarch knows full well the limitations his youthful squad faced

this season. With the Lightning relegated to the running game an

assistant pointed out, early in the third quarter, the Brethren

Christian defense was stacking nine guys in the box. Monarch, the

team’s co-offensive coordinator replied, “Wouldn’t you?”

* Newport Harbor football’s future appears promising. The

program’s freshman football team completed a 10-0 season. It’s not

the first time a Sailor freshman football team went undefeated. The

2001 team, also coached by Joe Urban, went 9-0. They did not play one

game because of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.