Four games into the 2021 schedule, the Newport Harbor football team is still seeking its stride after too many stumbles tripped up the mostly solid play in a deflating 23-13 loss at Trabuco Hills Friday night.
“We came out early, started fast, started hot, and then we ended up sabotaging ourselves once again,” Sailors head coach Peter Lofthouse summed it up succinctly.
The fast start included a quick stop of the Mustangs’ (3-1) first possession when the home team made the strange call of going for a fourth down and four conversion from its own 17 yard line. A woefully errant pass attempt resulted in a turnover on downs, and the Sailors (1-3) took immediate advantage.
A 13-yard completion from quarterback Nick Kim to Kashton Henjum set up a first and goal from the five that runningback Payton Irving polished off on the next play. Jon Richardson’s extra point made is 7-0 Newport before you could finish your first hot dog.
The next defensive effort resulted in more good fortune. A forced fumble by safety Carson de Avila off a short completed pass was pounced on by cornerback Billy Riley. The Harbor offense replied with a quick scoring drive covering 32 yards in six plays. Kim’s fade pass to Henjum for an 8-yard touchdown gave the Sailors a 13-nothing lead. The extra point try was blocked, hinting at some of the less good fortune ahead.
The Mustangs scored on 53-yard touchdown pass on its next possession with the receiver wide open beyond the secondary. The scoreless second quarter consisted of just two Harbor possessions wrapped around a 20-play drive by Trabuco Hills. Linebacker Robbie Crowell, linemen Grayson Simon and Nate Peters and cornerback Josiah Lamarque contributed key plays as Harbor turned back the Mustangs and took a 13-7 lead into the second half.
After a Trabuco Hills field goal closed the gap to 13-10, an NHHS 20-play drive of its own from the third quarter into the 4th ate up the clock and resulted in disaster. Taking aim at a 22-yard field goal and a six point lead, the Sailors were stunned when the kick was blocked, snatched out of the air by a Mustang defender and returned 85 yards in the opposite direction. Trabuco took the 16-10 lead and the wind out of Harbor’s sail.
Penalties offset any progress on offense and with time running scarce, the defense lapsed in allowing a a 48-yard touchdown sprint by standout Trabuco Hills senior Drew Barrett to make it 23-13.
“Football’s a very emotional game,” Lofthouse reflected. “When you hit those tough moments and get those back-breaking plays like that, kids can lose confidence, they lose momentum, and unfortunately mistakes happen.”
de Avila was inserted at quarterback for Harbor’s final two possessions, and though his scrambling ability moved the team downfield quickly, both drives ended in disappointment. First, an end zone interception and later a last-play 14-yard run that ended inches short of the goal line.
While de Avila rushed for 61 yards on six carries, he hit on just 3 of 9 passes for 21 yards with an interception. Kim finished 18 of 26 for 185 yards. Irving carried 16 times for 44 yards and a touchdown. Henjum was the team’s leading receiver with nine catches for 109 yards and a score. Barrett finished with 149 yards rushing and a touchdown for Trabuco Hills.
“We knew we were going to have a tough fight. We just didn’t execute, that’s what it comes down to,” said Lofthouse. “We need to clean up the penalties, clean up the special teams game and the offense. It’s tough right now because we play some good football teams coming up and good teams don’t give you free plays to figure things out.”
The Sailors try to right the ship next Friday night when Harbor hosts JSerra in the make-up game rescheduled from September 2nd. Kickoff is set for 7pm at Davidson Field. It’s the final non-conference game before Sunset League play begins Thursday night September 30th with an away game against Edison at Cap Shue Field in Huntington Beach.
– Matt Morrison