Los Altos has been Conquerors

Patrick Laverty

As impressive as Newport Harbor High has been under Coach Jeff

Brinkley -- 14 playoff appearances in 18 seasons, a 25-11 postseason

record, a pair of CIF Southern Section championships and three other

appearances in the title game -- it is all old hat to Los Altos.

The Conquerors, the No. 1 seed in the Division VI playoffs and

Newport Harbor’s first-round opponent Friday, have won 10 section

championships since 1972, including three in the last four seasons.

Since taking over the program, Los Altos Coach Greg Gano has

compiled a 75-12 record. He has guided the Conquerors to 16 straight

victories entering Friday’s contest and is attempting to take them to

their fifth consecutive CIF championship game.

Helping him in the cause is a roster that includes 13 players who

have been with him for three years, including defensive end Brigham

Harwell and running back/strong safety Daniel Drayton, both of whom

have committed to UCLA.

“I know we’re on everyone’s firing squad, but we have a bunch of

kids that have been there before,” Gano said. “You can’t substitute

for that. At the same time, that can create complacency.”

Complacency hasn’t been evident this season as the closest game

the Conquerors have played was a 22-13 victory over the defending

Division IX champions, La Habra.

Los Altos’ average margin of victory is 28.3 points. In their last

five games, the Conquerors have averaged 46.6 points and that

includes a 53-0 victory over Charter Oak, a Division VI playoff team,

a 35-14 victory over Wilson, another Division VI playoff team, and a

42-13 victory over South Hills, the No. 3 seed in the Division VII

playoffs.

The Conquerors have done it by buying into Gano’s system.

“If you take a look at our stats, we have nobody that’s

super-super,” Gano said. “Our kids don’t really care about stats.”

Harwell, a preseason All-American, is approaching the school’s

career sack record, held by USC defensive tackle Shaun Cody. Brown

and Drayton have each rushed for more than 550 yards and the

Conquerors’ two quarterbacks, who each play half the game, have both

thrown for more than 900 yards.

Newport Harbor definitely has its work cut out against Los Altos.

But the Sailors’ own tradition was built in games like this.