Virgen: It’s a must-see scrimmage

There aren’t very many high school football scrimmage games to get excited about, but there’s at least one on Aug. 28 at Jim Scott Stadium. It’s mainly because of the coaches.

Estancia High Coach Mike Bargas meets his mentor Newport Harbor Coach Jeff Brinkley when the Eagles and Sailors scrimmage long before the Friday night lights, at 10 a.m.

Brinkley, who is entering his 30th season in charge of Newport Football, said he wanted to get more practice time at Jim Scott Stadium, on Estancia’s campus, because the Sailors will play their home games there since Davidson Field is under renovation.

Bargas knows plenty about Brinkley and Tar Ball. He played at Newport Harbor, where he graduated in 1989. He also coached under Brinkley for 15 seasons before landing the head coaching job at Estancia in 2007.

Bargas has been a highly respected coach for his work at Estancia. He’s led the Eagles to four league titles as he enters his ninth season at Estancia. He has guided the Eagles to the playoffs the past six seasons and its highest finish in 2011, when they reached the CIF Soutehrn Section Southern Division semifinals.

Bargas has also provided stability at Estancia, where he was also recently named an athletic director.

When he was hired for football, he became the Eagles’ sixth coach in 11 years.

“I’m really proud of what Mike’s done at Estancia,” Brinkley said. “Mike’s a great friend of mine. He’s a great guy.”

Brinkley was recently featured in a Daily Pilot story and the coach was honored during a celebration Saturday night.

“Coach Brinkley is a great Coach and I respect him for 30 years of tradition,” Bargas said on Facebook. “He has been a good friend for 30 years. His touch as a coach has reached out to the Westside and for that I am grateful. Thank you!”

—

•While working on the Brinkley story, I was able to catch up with former Newport Harbor standout Chris Manderino, who led the Sailors to a CIF Southern Section Division VI title in 1999 and the Division VI final in 2000.

After Newport Harbor, Manderino began his college career at UC Berkeley as a walk-on, yet earned a scholarship and went on to start a school-record 52 games as a fullback.

He played with NFL star quarterback Aaron Rodgers and also paved the way for four NFL tailbacks, including Marshawn Lynch, Justin Forsett, JJ Arrington and Adimchinobe Echemandu.

Manderino had a stint in the NFL. He signed as an undrafted free agent with the Bengals, where he was on their practice squad for two seasons. He then signed with the Chiefs, who released him during their roster cuts before the 2008 season.

Manderino then found a home in Italy, where he played football and coached. He later returned to Newport Beach, where he coached in the Newport-Mesa Junior All-American program before going back to Italy.

He then went to work in pharmaceuticals with Tom Kinder, who is the Newport Harbor booster president and has a son, Cole, an incoming junior tailback for the Sailors.

This year, he said he left pharmaceuticals to launch a health and wellness venture. He calls it LYFE, standing for Live Your Fullest Everyday.

Manderino describes it as a lifestyle company that will incorporate many facets, including cross-fit training and the proper supplements needed for each individual.

“It’s something I’m extremely passionate about,” he said.

Manderino said he was planning to attend Brinkley’s celebration on Saturday night.

“His approach to football and life made a huge impact on me,” Manderino said of Brinkley. “A lot of that led to being the person I am today.”

—

•The high school football season is just around the corner. Sage Hill, which scrimmages against visiting Century Friday at 6 p.m., opens its season with new head coach Abram Booty against Calvary Chapel on Aug. 27 at Jim Scott Stadium.

CdM, which scrimmages at Huntington Beach Friday at 6:30 p.m., begins the season Aug. 28 against Palos Verdes at Jim Scott Stadium. The Sea Kings also have a new coach in Dan O’Shea.

Costa Mesa also has a new coach, Glen Fisher. The Mustangs do not have a scrimmage game. They open the season Aug. 28 against Northwood, under the Friday night lights at Irvine High.

The Sailors play against Rialto Eisenhower to open the season Sept. 3 at Jim Scott Stadium. Estancia opens its season the same night against Loara at Western High.

—

•Fisher is using a unique event to connect to the mothers of his football players. It’s called, “Moms 101 Football Clinic,” which takes place Aug. 22 at 1 p.m. at the school.

Fisher wants to teach the mothers the game of football so they know what’s going on when their sons are playing for the Mustangs. It could also be a good event for the Costa Mesa football moms to get to know each other.

Fisher plans to put the mothers through some football training drills. The mothers are also expected to dress up in football gear. Look out, they might even run some plays on the field.