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Damian Dottore. Sports. HS Reporter.

// MORE INFORMATION: Associate Mug Shot taken August 24, 2010 : by KATE LUCAS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

This was the week that Newport Harbor coach Scott Tarnow thought the Sailors would begin to wrap up the Sunset League championship. Marina and Los Alamitos were both coming to Big Canyon Country Club, the Sailors’ home course for the 13 seasons.

But after No. 9 Los Alamitos beat the No. 7 Sailors, 199-200, on Thursday, Tarnow said Newport Harbor now is “on the outside looking in” as far as finishing in first place is concerned.

This is the second match in a row that the Sailors have finished in the 200s at Big Canyon as they lost to Marina, 195-202, on Tuesday. Those are disappointing scores for the Sailors, considering they average 188-192  at Big Canyon in practice.

“I don’t see Marina misstepping (for the rest of the season). They have already had a lot of their road matches,” Tarnow said. Marina (14-2, 5-1) eased to a 176-193 victory against Fountain Valley on Thursday to move a match ahead of the Sailors in the standings. “You have got to play right at the right time, and you have got to have your whole team.”

Newport Harbor was missing its No. 1 player, Brad Tapfer, who was feeling too ill to tee off on Thursday, and he hasn’t carded a round higher than 37 this season at Big Canyon. Danny Willett lead Newport Harbor on Thursday with a 1-over-par 37 sharing medalist honors Bryah Hernandez, who posted a 37 for Los Alamitos.

Matt Grant added a 2-over 38 for the Griffins (9-5, 3-3) have won their last three matches against the Sailors at Big Canyon.

Because Big Canyon is a difficult course and one that the Griffins only see once a year, Los Alamitos coach John Haygood said he usually brings a couple of younger players to the country club, putting them in the lineup as the No. 7 or 8 player. That way they can get some experience there before playing a competitive round there.

He brought three freshman with him to Thursday’s match.

“My kids love playing here. They feel it is a priveldge to play here,” Haygood said. “It suits a lot of their games pretty well. The greens are vary similar to the ones that we practice on all of the time. They are comfortable playing here.”