Edison undefeated Sunset League football champion; Newport Harbor’s season over

The Newport Harbor High football team knew that it came into Friday’s Sunset League finale against Edison as a big underdog.

The Sailors have not beaten the Chargers since 1979. They were not going to start Friday night, with an outright league title on the line for Edison.

Newport Harbor kept it competitive but lost, 27-17, at Newport Harbor High. The setback more than likely ends the Sailors’ season.

Newport Harbor finished 4-6, 2-3 in league, alone in fourth place. The Sailors came into the night tied for third in league with Los Alamitos, but the Griffins clinched the league’s third and final guaranteed berth into the CIF Southern Section West Valley Division playoffs with a 48-0 win over last-place Marina.

“We don’t have a chance,” Coach Jeff Brinkley said of his team earning an at-large berth, knowing that it needed to upset Edison to strengthen its case.

The Sailors appear headed to their first year missing the postseason since 2008. But it wasn’t for lack of trying against Edison (7-3, 5-0), ranked No. 6 in the West Valley Division.

“The kids battled tonight,” Brinkley said. “I think it tells a lot about a program when you’re out of the hunt and the kids still play as hard as these guys did tonight. I’m really proud of what they did.”

The visitors led, 20-3, at halftime but it could have been closer. The first time the Sailors got in the red zone, they were down just 6-0 early in the second quarter. A 26-yard pass from Michael Bonds to Reed Rutter gave Newport Harbor a first-and-goal at the Edison eight-yard line, but they ended up settling for a 28-yard field goal from Victor Negrete.

Later in the half, down 20-3, they got into the red zone again after a spectacular 83-yard kickoff return by Cole Kinder. This time, the Sailors were in hurry-up mode in the final minute of the half.

Bonds’ pass on third-and-four was deflected and intercepted by Edison’s Nick Warren with 22 seconds remaining in the half.

“That was disappointing, obviously, because that would have put us in striking distance,” Brinkley said. “You know, these guys are just like every level of football really. The emotion is such a big part, and the momentum swings back and forth. I think that would have swung it our way a little bit.”

Edison made its own big plays in the passing game. Sophomore quarterback Griffin O’Connor was missing big-play target Garrett White at receiver (knee), lost to injury in the Chargers’ win over rival Fountain Valley last week. But O’Connor’s favorite target Friday night was easily Shaun Colamonico, who had eight catches for 142 yards and three touchdowns.

Two of Colamonico’s touchdown catches were big plays that went for 47 and 39 yards, respectively.

The Sailors never stopped battling. Bonds had two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, one to Rutter and another to Kobe Benter with 26 seconds remaining.

But time ran out on the Sailors, and the same could be said about their season. They fell to 0-10 against Edison since rejoining the Sunset League in 2006.

“We knew it would be a tough game,” Brinkley said. “We’ll just have to regroup and start prepping for next year.”

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Edison 27, Newport Harbor 17

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Edi 6 – 14 – 7 – 0 — 27

NH 0 – 3 – 0 – 14 — 17

FIRST QUARTER

Edi – Colamonico 12 pass from O’Connor (kick failed), 2:40.

SECOND QUARTER

NH – Negrete 28 FG, 9:12.

Edi – Maza 20 pass from O’Connor (Jinkins kick), 4:39.

Edi – Colamonico 47 pass from O’Connor (Jinkins kick), 1:14.

THIRD QUARTER

Edi – Colamonico 39 pass from O’Connor (Jinkins kick), 3:09.

FOURTH QUARTER

NH – Rutter 10 pass from Bonds (Negrete kick), 10:43.

NH – Benter 3 pass from Bonds (Negrete kick), 0:26.

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

Edi – Maza, 11-77.

NH – Kinder, 19-53.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

Edi – O’Connor, 14-35-1, 242, 4 TDs.

NH – Bonds, 14-34-1, 127, 2 TDs.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

Edi – Colamonico, 8-142, 3 TDs.

NH – Rutter, 6-76, 1 TD.