Newport Harbor flag football gets four interceptions, storms into CIF semifinals
The Newport Harbor High girls’ flag football team probably did not expect to be down in the final two minutes of the first CIF Southern Section playoff game in program history.
Yet that was where the Sailors found themselves Saturday against visiting Camarillo. It took a fourth-down touchdown pass from senior quarterback Maia Helmar to freshman Skylie Cid for No. 2-seeded Newport Harbor to pull out a 19-14 win in its playoff opener.
Three days later, the Sailors returned to Davidson Field to host Goleta Dos Pueblos in a quarterfinal match.
A more complete effort ensued.
Helmar threw four touchdown passes and was one of four Newport Harbor players with an interception.
The result was a 33-14 win, moving the Sailors (24-2) into the semifinals on Saturday after recording their 23rd straight win.
A familiar Sunset League opponent waits there in Huntington Beach (21-7). The Oilers won 35-20 at Ventura on Tuesday in another quarterfinal match.
Huntington Beach will host the semifinal showdown on Saturday at 5 p.m. The Sailors already have three wins over the Oilers this year, all by at least two touchdowns, though Newport Harbor coach Jason Guyser said he knows how tough it is to beat a good team four times in the same season.
Sunset League champion Newport Harbor is also tough to beat when it’s operating like it did Tuesday on offense and defense.
After Helmar had two flag pulls to force a Dos Pueblos three-and-out on the opening drive, the Sailors drove down the field. Helmar pitched the ball to Cid on an option play, and she scored from 9 yards out, with the conversion pass to senior Audrey Burns also successful.
Dos Pueblos, the Channel League runner-up, pulled even on its second drive after converting a pair of fourth downs. Senior quarterback Liliana Rodriguez found Sterling Streitfield on a short pass in the middle of the field, and the referee ruled she was in the end zone despite the flag pull and protest of Burns.
But Helmar found Burns on a 38-yard bomb down the right side to give the lead back to the Sailors, with the extra-point pass going to junior Cooper Dick.
On defense, Sailors sophomore Ashlyn Spicer came up with an interception to start the Chargers’ next drive. The short field turned into points, as Helmar found Dick over the middle on a 1-yard score that gave the hosts a 20-7 halftime lead.
Helmar, sophomore Bennett Perez and Dick added second-half interceptions for Newport Harbor, with Spicer nearly getting a second pick as well. Burns also was a difference maker on defense as usual, with double-digit flag pulls.
The Sailors pulled away in the second half. Helmar’s 5-yard touchdown pass to Cid was followed by Burns’ second scoring grab of the day. That gave Newport Harbor a 33-7 lead, before Dos Pueblos closed out the scoring when Hannah Remick found fellow freshman Kindah Ahmad-Reda on a touchdown pass in the final two minutes.
Orange Lutheran hosts Canyon in the other Division 1 semifinal Saturday. The Division 1 title match is slated for Nov. 9 at El Modena High.
In other quarterfinal action Tuesday:
Orange Lutheran 40, Corona del Mar 12: The Sea Kings’ season ended at the hands of the top-seeded Lancers in the Division 1 quarterfinals.
CdM finished its season 18-10.
Edison 30, El Toro 20: The Chargers continued their recent hot play and earned the road win in the Division 2 quarterfinals.
Edison has now won 12 of its last 13 games.
Edison will host Trabuco Hills in a Division 2 semifinal game on Monday at 5 p.m.
All the latest on Orange County from Orange County.
Get our free TimesOC newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Daily Pilot.
