Estancia plays for the win
Before Estancia High played host to Ocean View on Thursday, the coaches agreed to no overtime if the nonleague game was even at the end of four quarters.
Coach Mike Bargas decided to go for the win, instead of a tie, after his Eagles scored a touchdown with 43 seconds to go that cut Ocean View’s lead to 14-13.
A false start by Estancia pushed the ball from the three to the eight, hurting its chances of converting a two-point conversion. The Eagles went for it anyway and Ocean View picked off the pass to eke out a win at Jim Scott Stadium.
“This was the first [time that I’ve gone for two at the end to win a game],” said Bargas, who is his ninth season at the helm of Estancia. “You just got to believe in your kids and that it’s going to happen right there. We’re not winning games right now, but they’re certainly trying. Sometimes you got to roll the dice and I wanted to take the gamble. I’ll accept the result.”
The result was Estancia’s fourth straight loss, its longest losing streak since 2010. That same season the Eagles closed out nonleague play with a four-game skid, but they went on to claim an undefeated Orange Coast League title.
Estancia (1-4), the defending league champion, kicks off league against Calvary Chapel (2-3), ranked No. 10 in the CIF Southern Section Southern Division poll, at Jim Scott Stadium next week.
— David Carrillo Peñaloza
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The Sage Hill School football team lost its fourth straight game Friday night, falling at University, 49-14, in a nonleague game. But first-year Coach Abram Booty believes that after a challenging nonleague schedule, the Lightning (1-5) could be ready for Academy League play.
Sage Hill opens league Thursday night against Crean Lutheran, at Irvine High.
“It’s always tough to lose, but they’ve played through some fire,” Booty said of his players. “They played [Orange Coast League favorite] Calvary Chapel, a big, nasty, team. Maranatha is a great team that went 9-1 last year [in the regular season] and almost to the semis [in the CIF Southern Section Northwest Division]. We haven’t played anybody that was at our level this year.
“Maybe that’s not the best thing to do with a young team, but they’ve been through the fire. Now, we’re excited about league play.”
— Matt Szabo
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After starting out the season with two wins, Newport Harbor High is heading in the opposite direction.
The Sailors lost to Manhattan Beach Mira Costa, 35-14, at Davidson Field on Friday, suffering their third straight setback. During the skid, Newport Harbor is losing by an average of 20.6 points per game.
“We didn’t play well in any area,” said Newport Harbor Coach Jeff Brinkley, whose team has struggled in the first half the last three weeks, seeing the opposition outscore the Sailors, 54-3.
Newport Harbor (2-3) kicks off Sunset League play next week at home against Fountain Valley (3-2).
The Sailors, who finished in third place in league last year, have prevailed against Fountain Valley in each of the past five matchups. Newport Harbor has opened league with victories the past two years.
— David Carrillo Peñaloza
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Estancia’s Connor Brown ended his five-quarter touchdown-throwing drought with a bang.
The senior quarterback connected with his younger brother, Trevor, for a 20-yard touchdown as time expired in the first half, helping the Eagles tie Ocean View, 7-7. The siblings also hooked up with 43 seconds left in the game, on a 12-yard touchdown that made it a one-point game.
Connor has thrown six touchdowns on the season, half have gone to Trevor, a junior wideout.
— David Carrillo Peñaloza
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With the absence of Sage Hill receivers Jacob Copeland and Jake Fisher, senior David Dewey stepped up and had a standout game against University. Dewey had 10 catches for 143 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Caden Sheetz.
Both the catch total and the yardage were easily season-highs for Dewey, who came into the game with 16 catches on the season. His touchdown was also the first touchdown catch by a Sage receiver other than Copeland.
— Matt Szabo
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Newport Harbor running back Cole Kinder hasn’t topped 100 yards on the ground since his 304-yard performance in the second game of the year at Pico Rivera El Rancho.
In the past three contests, Kinder has averaged 19.3 carries for 80.6 yards per game. Kinder also hasn’t rushed for a touchdown during the stretch.
The junior did find the end zone against Mira Costa, catching a 31-yard pass from quarterback Michael Bonds early in the fourth quarter. Kinder led the team with five receptions for 66 yards, to go with his 81 yards on 17 carries.
— David Carrillo Peñaloza
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Estancia’s opponents the last four weeks have a combined record of 15-5.
— David Carrillo Peñaloza
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University defensive coordinator Jeremy Osso, an Estancia alumnus and the former head coach at Costa Mesa, helped the Trojans top their second straight Newport-Mesa school Friday night. The Trojans beat Sage Hill, 49-14, a week after blanking Estancia, 28-0.
The Trojans are 5-0 for the first time since 2007. Osso’s defense has been stout, allowing just 9.4 points per game. But he isn’t the only member of the University coaching staff with Costa Mesa connections.
University head coach Mark Cunningham lives in Costa Mesa, and Osso said Trojans defensive backs coach Shane Russell also is a Costa Mesa resident. Russell was facing his former team on Friday, as he was the defensive coordinator at Sage Hill last year.
— Matt Szabo
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Three key Sailors are banged up.
Brinkley said Jack Rapillo, a wide receiver, cornerback and punt returner, is out with a foot injury, while linemen Michael Jarboe and Arthur Guillen are dealing with back and knee issues, respectively.
Rapillo has missed two games in a row and Jarboe the last three. Guillen has been dealing with his injury since the season opener.
Brinkley said he’s unsure whether the three will be ready for next week’s league opener.
— David Carrillo Peñaloza