Making a little History

Bryce Alderton

The countless hours spent sweating and strategizing since early

August in the hot dry air to the cooler winds of autumn culminate

today in a season unknown to a Newport-Mesa Pop Warner football team

in more than three decades.

The Costa Mesa Jr. Pee Wee Black Mustangs, a group of 9-, 10- and

11-year-olds, have rolled to a 12-0 record heading into today’s

Pineapple Bowl against the Nanakuli Hawks, the Hawaiian state

champion, at 8 a.m. in Las Vegas, Nev.

The last time a Costa Mesa Pop Warner Jr. Pee Wee team went 13-0

was 33 years ago, when Mike Gilbert -- who compiled the team with

co-coach Kirk Norton -- played on the offensive and defensive lines.

Gilbert’s father, Robert, was the head coach of that team.

Mike Gilbert stood watching the Mustangs run offensive drills at

their final practice Thursday night at TeWinkle Park before leaving

for Las Vegas. A brisk, cold wind provided ideal football weather as

Gilbert -- wearing a Hawaiian shirt -- tried to keep warm near the

same field he practiced on as a youth.

“Football doesn’t have the depth and numbers like it used to, but

there are still good players out there,” Mike Gilbert said.

Gilbert, who has coached in Pop Warner for three years, and Norton

-- both have known each other since their playing days at Newport

Harbor High -- united this season for the first time to form the

current undefeated squad.

Norton spent the previous three seasons coaching at the Jr.

All-American level, but decided to switch to Pop Warner this season

so his 11-year-old son, Parker, could play against guys more his

size. Parker weighs 75 pounds.

Gilbert and Norton spoke over the phone last summer and decided

they were the right fit.

Fifteen players Norton coached in Jr. All-American decided to

follow their leader to Pop Warner and the results speak for

themselves.

“Going into this season I thought we would have a good team, but

not this good,” said Norton, whose best finish coaching a team prior

to this season was about .500.

“We have talented kids, but Kirk took them to the next level,”

Gilbert said.

Fullback Buzzy Yokoyama spent the previous three years in Jr.

All-American, which he said was more competitive, but still followed

Norton to the Pop Warner ranks this season.

“We have talent with a lot of heart. I knew we could do it,”

Yokoyama said. “We have been pumped before the games and then tried

our best.”

The Mustangs feature nine first-year players.

“They have meshed together,” Gilbert said. “We have a lot of

athletes on this team. My son [Dakota Gilbert] took seventh at the

state wrestling championships and Mark Contreras -- a tailback -- is

also a state-caliber wrestler. [Contreras] lost to the first-place

kid by one point.”

Mike Gilbert guides the defense while Norton handles the offense.

The Mustangs have outscored their 12 opponents, 412-34.

“We focus on the simple things, like firing out of a stance,” Mike

Gilbert said. “Ninety percent of football is how effective you are

getting out of a stance on either defense or offense.”

Dakota Gilbert (outside linebacker and offensive tackle), 10, is

in his third year playing football.

When asked what the most memorable moment of the season has been

so far, Dakota Gilbert gave a simple answer, “hitting them hard.”

Mike Gilbert funneled most of his energy to keep the field at

Costa Mesa High -- where the Mustangs played their home games -- in

the best condition possible.

Gilbert has spent thousands of dollars as much as five-and-a-half

to six hours at a time mowing the grass among other tasks, sometimes

cutting blades until 10 p.m. with the help of his truck’s headlights.

Mustang players have followed suit with their own dedication.

Mesa earned the right to play the Hawks today in today’s Pineapple

Bowl after a 34-6 victory over the Arizona champ Nov. 29 in an

invitational game. They defeated the Yorba Linda Longhorns, 29-0, in

the Orange Bowl -- the county championship -- the previous week.

Running back Mark Contreras’s scored his 22nd, 23rd and 24th

touchdowns on runs of 38, 55 and 58 yards in the Arizona game while

Parker Norton scored his 22nd of the year on a 21-yard keeper.

Brandon Kelly broke several tackles on way to his 43-yard TD

scamper -- his first this season -- against Arizona. Buzzy Yokoyama,

Graeme Fraser, who has converted 40 of 48 two-point kicks this

season, and quarterback Michael Taormina also ran well for the

Mustangs, using the blocking of Dillon Miller, Dakota Gilbert, Grant

McKee, Anthony Taormina and two-way standout Tyler Henry.

Norton tallied two interceptions against Arizona to lead the

defense while Yokoyama, Henry, Zack Porteous, Richie Lowery, Kelly

and Jack Jeffries each provided some strong hits on the opponents.

With its performance thus far, Costa Mesa would have qualified for

the national championships being held in Orlando, Fla. But a bye for

all Jr. Pee Wee teams in the western United States prevented that

from happening. The byes rotate across the country each year.

Despite the unfortunate bye schedule, Norton maintains an upbeat

tone.

“The whole camaraderie with the coaches has been a dream for me,”

Norton said.