Prep football: 2001 Dream Team

Barry Faulkner

NEWPORT BEACH - Passing statistics assure Morgan Craig a spot among

the elite quarterbacks in the 71-year football history at Newport Harbor

High.

But, when it comes to the figure Sailors’ coach Jeff Brinkley values

above all others -- victories -- the 6-foot-2, 185-pound two-year starter

sits firmly at the head of the class.

Craig’s ability to make plays with his arm, his legs, and his

intellect, led the Sailors to a 20-4-1 record in 25 starts, beginning the

third game of his junior season and culminating in the CIF Southern

Section Division VI semifinals earlier this month. It also earned him

Most Valuable Player honors on the 2001 Daily Pilot All-Newport-Mesa

District Dream Team.

Newport Harbor, which reached at least the CIF semifinals for the

seventh time in the last 10 seasons and won the school’s second Sea View

League title in Brinkley’s 16 seasons at the helm, also produced the

remaining top individual honorees among the 27-player squad.

Junior tailback Dartangan Johnson is the Offensive Player of the Year,

while senior middle linebacker Cory Ray is Defensive Player of the Year.

Brinkley is Coach of the Year for the third straight season.

“Morgan obviously had a great year,” Brinkley said of his signal

caller, who completed 124 of 196 passes (63.3%) for 1,614 yards and 23

TDs, with only four interceptions. “Besides those types of numbers, he

was a great leader for our team. He won 20 games over two years, so he’s

definitely a winner. In addition to winning games for us throwing the

ball, he won some in other ways, too. I couldn’t have asked for more from

his senior year.”

Craig’s career statistics -- 237 for 383 (61.9%) for 2,947 yards and

32 TDs, with just nine interceptions -- rank him third in Harbor annals

behind Shane Foley (1984-85) and Josiah Fredriksen (1995-96).

Craig, an all-district performer as a junior and first-team All-Sea

View League this fall, also amassed 578 career yards and six touchdowns

as a ball carrier, including 415 rushing yards on 62 carries as a senior.

Johnson, who with one year remaining is just more than 1,200 yards

from moving to No. 2 on the all-time career Newport-Mesa rushing list,

amassed 1,870 yards and 15 TDs on 300 carries, en route to first-team

all-league recognition.

Johnson, whose four games of 200 yards or better are the most in

Newport Harbor history (for a career, let alone a single season), posted

nine games of at least 100 rushing yards. He exploded for 239 yards and

five touchdowns in the Tars’ first-round playoff win over Ocean View.

“He had some great games this year and he’s just starting,” Brinkley

said of the 6-0, 180 pounder, whose ability to run hard helped him make

the most of the frequent opportunities afforded him by an impressive

offensive line.

Ray, a 6-1, 190-pound middle linebacker, amassed 105 tackles,

including 80 unassisted stops, to help the Sailors allow only 118 points

(just more than 9.1 per game). That figure placed the Sailors second in

Orange County (behind Mission Viejo) and first in CIF Division VI in

scoring defense.

Ray, undersized but relentlessly aggressive and consistent, made eight

tackles for losses, caused five fumbles and recovered one fumble. He was

first-team All-Sea View.

“He had a great senior year and had his best game against La Mirada (a

13-10 semifinal loss in overtime),” Brinkley said of Ray. Following

two-time recipient Alan Saenz, Ray has made a Newport middle linebacker

the district’s top defender for the third straight season.

The all-district offense includes repeat selections Brian Gaeta, a

senior Newport Harbor receiver, as well as Sailor senior linemen Robert

Chai and Bryan Breland.

Joining Johnson and Craig in the all-district backfield are junior

running backs Mark Cianciulli (Corona del Mar) and Keola Asuega (Costa

Mesa), as well as Estancia junior quarterback Lewis Bradshaw.

Cianciulli rushed for 1,290 yards and 11 TDs on 195 carries. He rushed

for triple figures in seven of the Sea Kings’ 10 games, including

200-plus in back-to-back league games against University (227 yards on 33

attempts) and Laguna Beach (204 yards and three TDs on 28 carries). He

earned first-team All-Pacific Coast League recognition.

Asuega, who played both tailback and fullback, compiled 1,047 rushing

yards and 15 TDs on 147 carries, despite missing one game with a sore

hamstring. He also caught seven passes for 92 yards to help the Mustangs

reach the CIF Division IX playoffs. He earned second-team All-PCL

laurels.

Bradshaw, a 6-3, 189-pound transfer from Newport Harbor, triggered the

veer option attack installed by first-year Eagles Coach Jay Noonan.

Bradshaw completed 77 of 165 passes for 788 yards and eight TDs, with

only four interceptions, and also rushed for 171 yards and six TDs.

His statistics, however, don’t fully explain the contribution he made

to the Eagles, whose young offensive line was often overwhelmed by

opponents.

Bradshaw, who also started defensively at end, linebacker and safety,

typically absorbed hits on every offensive play, but never complained and

never quit competing. He was a second-team All-PCL choice on defense.

Gaeta, who missed about a month with torn ankle ligaments, wound up

catching 27 passes for 337 yards and three TDs. His 89 career receptions

(for 1,128 yards and nine TDs) rank him fourth on the Sailors’ all-time

list. He also started in the secondary, adding one interception to give

him seven for his career.

Like Craig, Gae’ta, a two-time first-team all-league performer, is

expected to continue to play as a collegian.

Senior Adam Kerns, who sat out his junior year with a back ailment,

made the most of his final prep campaign to lead the Sailors’ receiving

corps. He caught a team-high 29 passes for 627 yards (21.6 per catch) and

11 TDs, utilizing his speed to stretch defenses and provide Craig a

consistent deep threat.

Kerns, who shared the team lead with five interceptions, was also a

huge contributor on special teams. He kicked, punted and returned punts

and kickoffs for the Sailors. He made four field goals and converted 42

of 46 conversion kicks. He was also a first-team all-league receiver.

Corona del Mar senior Steven Ward led all district receivers with 31

receptions for 400 yards and five TDs, while also leading the Sea Kings

with four interceptions. He was second-team all-league on offense.

Costa Mesa senior John Garcia is the all-district tight end after

representing the Mustangs on the first-team All-PCL offense. A transfer

from Calvary Chapel, he led the Mustangs with 17 receptions for 251 yards

and two TDs and was also a strong blocker. He also contributed

defensively, playing linebacker and end.

Chai, a 6-4, 270-pound dominator who has accepted a scholarship offer

from UCLA, was a big factor in the Newport offense producing 373 points,

the school’s fifth-best single-season total.

Operating at left tackle, the two-time first-team All-Sea View

honoree, an All-CIF choice as a junior, joined Montana-bound center Jeff

Marshall, another all-district performer, on a line that was frequently

shuffled due to injuries.

Marshall, a 6-5, 215-pound technician, helped pave the way for nearly

4,500 yards of offense, en route to first-team all-league honors. Like

Chai, Marshall did not miss a snap with the first unit.

Breland, a senior who broke his leg in the regular-season finale, was

another stabilizing force for a Harbor offensive line some consider the

best in school history. He shifted between right and left guard, earning

second-team All-Sea View honors for the second straight season.

CdM senior tackle Steven Russell and Costa Mesa junior guard Andrew

Carich round out the all-district blocking battalion.

The 6-3, 265-pound Russell set the school record for combined bench

press (325 pounds), squat (485) and power clean (285). He had little

trouble translating his strength into leverage against defensive foes, en

route to first-team All-PCL honors.

The 5-10, 275-pound Carich, a first-team All-PCL performer, made an

adjustment to become much more mobile in Coach Dave Perkins’ offense,

which frequently relied on the guards to pull.

The all-district defense includes five Sailors and four Mustangs.

Newport senior outside linebacker Tyler Miller had 74 tackles, one

interception, four sacks and two caused fumbles as one of the most

consistent Sailor defenders. His absence in the semifinal loss to La

Mirada (due to a broken thumb), was a big blow to Harbor hopes. He was

first-team All-Sea View.

Costa Mesa senior inside linebacker Bobby Arroyo, a two-time

first-team All-PCL performer, led the Mustangs in tackles after

transferring from Estancia for his senior season.

CdM junior Matt Cooper, a second-team All-PCL selection, stood out at

inside linebacker for the Sea Kings, finishing second on the team in

tackles. He returned his lone interception 79 yards to set up a

game-winning touchdown in Week 5 against Westminster and made 17 tackles

in the Sea Kings’ nonleague win over Saddleback.

Cooper also chipped in on offense at fullback, where he was a

battering ram of a blocker and scored four rushing touchdowns.

Newport sophomore outside ‘backer Matt Encinias is also an

all-district choice, after collecting 67 tackles and one interception.

Seniors Jim Rothwell and Scott Kohan, who shared the team lead with

five quarterback sacks, are additional all-district picks from Newport

Harbor.

Rothwell, a determined 5-10, 165-pound end who was first-team All-Sea

View, also had 10 quarterback hurries, three fumble recoveries, two

caused fumbles and one interception.

Kohan, a 6-3, 263-pound second-team All-Sea View tackle, provided an

immovable object for most opposing blockers.

CdM junior Jayson Skalla was the most consistent trench warrior on

defense for the Sea Kings. A second-year starter, this first-team All-PCL

performer should be an anchor for the 2002 squad.

Costa Mesa senior Jesse Cardenas was another solid performer up front,

shifting between tackle and end as the Mustangs altered their scheme

midway through the season. He was a second-team All-PCL choice.

The all-district secondary includes versatile performers who also

contributed heavily on offense.

Senior Nick Cabico played cornerback and safety for Mesa, collecting a

district-leading six interceptions and adding solid run support. Cabico,

a second-team All-PCL honoree on offense, amassed 698 rushing yards and

119 more receiving (eight catches) as a wingback and tailback. He scored

eight TDs, second on the team to Asuega.

Newport Harbor junior safety Mike McDonald, who will succeed Craig at

quarterback next fall, didn’t waste his junior season holding a

clipboard. Instead, he compiled five interceptions and 49 tackles and was

also highly productive (20 receptions for 232 yards and one TD) at

receiver. He was second-team all-league on defense.

Mesa senior Freddy Rodriguez, a first-team All-PCL safety, added five

more interceptions to bring his three-year varsity total to 12. He picked

off three as a junior and four as a sophomore starter at Estancia, before

transferring across town. Rodriguez also rushed for 316 yards and four

TDs and caught six passes for 120 yards this fall.

Rounding out the secondary is Estancia senior cornerback Jermaine

Snell. The Eagles’ lone first-team all-league performer, Snell earned

consistent praise from Noonan for his contributions on both sides of the

ball, as well as his work ethic and leadership skills. The Fountain

Valley transfer had two interceptions and caught a team-high 23 passes

for 178 yards and a TD.

2001 Daily Pilot All-Newport-Mesa District Football

Most Valuable Player

QB - Morgan Craig, Newport Harbor Sr.

Offensive Player of the Year

RB - Dartangan Johnson, Newport Harbor Jr.

Defensive Player of the Year

LB - Cory Ray, Newport Harbor Sr.

Offense

RB - Mark Cianciulli, Corona del Mar Jr.

RB - Keola Asuega, Costa Mesa Jr.

AP - Lewis Bradshaw, Estancia Jr.

WR - Adam Kerns, Newport Harbor Sr.

WR - Brian Gaeta, Newport Harbor Sr.

WR - Steven Ward, Corona del Mar Sr.

TE - John Garcia, Costa Mesa Sr.

OL - Robert Chai, Newport Harbor Sr.

OL - Steven Russell, Corona del Mar Sr.

OL - Jeff Marshall, Newport Harbor Sr.

OL - Bryan Breland, Newport Harbor Sr.

OL - Andrew Carich, Costa Mesa Jr.

Defense

LB - Tyler Miller, Newport Harbor Sr.

LB - Bobby Arroyo, Costa Mesa Sr.

LB - Matt Cooper, Corona del Mar Jr.

LB - Matt Encinias, Newport Harbor So.

DL - Jim Rothwell, Newport Harbor Sr.

DL - Scott Kohan, Newport Harbor Sr.

DL - Jayson Skalla, Corona del Mar Jr.

DL - Jesse Cardenas, Costa Mesa Sr.

DB - Nick Cabico, Costa Mesa Sr.

DB - Mike McDonald, Newport Harbor Jr.

DB - Jermaine Snell, Estancia Sr.

DB - Freddy Rodriguez, Costa Mesa Sr.

Coach of the Year - Jeff Brinkley, Newport Harbor