Newport looking to rebound

After landing at near-opposite ends of the Orange County high school football spectrum last week, Newport Harbor and Dana Hills will come together tonight at 7 for a nonleague game at Newport Harbor High.

The Sailors, who opened the season 2-0 with back-to-back shutouts, committed six turnovers in a disappointing 14-6 setback to arch-rival Corona del Mar in the Battle of the Bay on Sept. 21.

Dana Hills, which opened 0-3, stunned reigning CIF Southern Section Division I champion Loyola, 17-14, on the same date.

The Dolphins’ 1-3 record may be somewhat misleading since their losses were to Orange Lutheran (ranked No. 6 in the Pac-5 Division), Los Alamitos (No. 2 in the Pac-5) and El Dorado (No. 2 in the Southwest Division).

Coach Armando Gonzalez’s squad, which made the CIF playoffs in 2004, but went 0-5 in the rugged South Coast League last fall, appears to have been energized by the emergence of sophomore Sean Schroeder at quarterback.

Schroeder, who split time with senior Clayton Colaw the first two games, completed 20 of 37 passes for 233 yards and one touchdown, with no interceptions, against Loyola. The 6-foot, 150-pound Schroeder is 42 of 73 for 414 yards on the season, with two interceptions and two touchdown passes.

Dana Hills also found some success on the ground against Loyola, as 5-7, 155-pound senior Matt Garcia carried 25 times for 126 yards, after producing just 69 yards on 31 attempts the first three games.

Garcia is also a primary option in the passing game. He has 17 receptions for 192 yards and three touchdowns in the last three contests.

Senior Ricky Carroll (19 catches for 257 yards and one touchdown) is another receiving threat.

The Sailors’ defense has allowed just one touchdown in three games — an 80-yard catch-and-run against Corona del Mar, which scored its other touchdown on a fumble return.

Newport Harbor is led, defensively, by senior middle linebacker Nick Frazier and senior tackle Mike Calabrese. Both earned All-CIF Division VI laurels while leading the Tars to the division crown in 2005.

Offensively, Newport Harbor has had success moving the ball, but has struggled in the red zone, according to Coach Jeff Brinkley.

Junior Ben Frazier triggers the running game, behind an offensive line led by 382-pound senior tackle Frank Muscatello. Ben Frazier has rushed for 352 yards and five touchdowns on 76 carries.

Brinkley has rotated senior quarterbacks Stephen Peterson and Kevin Williams the first three games. Peterson, a transfer from St. Francis, has completed 16 of 26 for 230 yards and a touchdown, without an interception. Williams is 14 for 22 for 130 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.

The Sailors’ leading receiver is senior Jarrett Daniel, another returning All-CIF performer who has 10 receptions for 139 yards and one TD.

The Sailors won the first five meetings between the two schools, before Dana Hills produced a 39-13 triumph last season.