PALOS VERDES ESTATES – Palos Verdes took advantage of early turnovers, then essentially played Newport Harbor even in a 49-35 victory over the visiting Sailors in a nonleague game Friday afternoon at Palos Verdes High.
Palos Verdes’ first touchdown encapsulated the kind of day it was for Newport Harbor (1-1). The Sailor’s Riley Gaddis tipped a pass from his quarterback, Cole Norris, and it landed in the hands of the Sea Kings’ Adison Umrarong, who returned it 28 yards for a touchdown.
Palos Verdes (1-2) went up 14-0 on a 5-yard run by quarterback Steven Delcarson, but Newport Harbor tied the score midway through the second quarter on a 1-yard run by Norris and Norris’ 5-yard pass to Keaton Cablay.
The Sea Kings responded with two touchdowns in less than 90 seconds to reestablish a 14-point lead.
“We battled back early, but we play a lot of guys both ways, and we have to do a better job of conditioning ourselves during the week,” said Newport Harbor coach Jeff Brinkley. “We let them get in for a couple of scores late and just never could catch up.
“We could never get that one big play to maybe get that momentum back.”
Newport Harbor made it 28-21 with an 81-yard drive to start the third, capped by a 37-yard scoring pass from Norris to Cablay, but the Sea Kings answered with touchdowns of 6 and 23 yards from running back Stanton Gilbertson, who picked up most of his 157 yards in the second half.
The Sailors host Corona del Mar on Friday at 7 p.m.
