Newport Harbor rolls through Esperanza, 35-6

NEWPORT HARBOR - This was not one of those games where Newport Harbor needed a victory just because it was feeling blue.

"There's no way we could lose this game and still have a chance at the playoffs," Sailors wide receiver J.B. Green said. "At first, I was a little scared."

Visiting Esperanza marched 80 yards for a touchdown on the game's opening drive, but after the extra point try sailed left, little went right for  the Aztecs.

With a balanced offense, smothering defense and fortuitous bounces on special teams, Newport Harbor took over for its  first Sunset League victory, routing No. 10 Esperanza, 35-6. (Full game stats.)

"They knew the situation,"  Newport coach  Jeff Brinkley said. "I like the way we responded."

The Sailors (5-3, 1-2 Sunset) lost to Edison by a touchdown two  weeks ago and were upset at home by Fountain    Valley last week.

After appearing out of sync on Friday's first drive, the Sailors  caught fire with the short passing game. Andrew McDonald completed eight  consecutive passes, including an 11-yard touchdown to Green, on the way to an  early 14-6 lead. Two plays after the score, Green grabbed a fumbled Esperanza  pitch and ran it 10 yards into the end zone.

With 6:41 remaining in the first half, the Sailors had a 21-6  lead on a team that had scored just 17 points in each of its Sunset League  victories.

"We had to do everything right to have a chance against them at  the end," said Esperanza coach Bill Pendleton, whose team suffered its first  league loss. "We made a bunch of mistakes."

They were often cramped by brutal field position, which gave them  little chance to erase a 815-point halftime deficit. Esperanza (6-2, 2-1) started  two of its three third-quarter drives within 5.yards of its end zone and  never began beyond its 24-yard line in the second half.

Newport is home against Marina next week before  traveling to Los Alamitos for the regular-season finale.

"This was basically the start of the playoffs," Brinkley said.  "They showed me a lot tonight."

McDonald completed 15 of 23 passes for 180 yards and two  touchdowns, while Green caught seven passes for 97 yards.

Michael Helfrich ran for 90 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries.

Jared Moore led the Aztecs with 134 yards rushing on 21 carries.

• Click here for full game stats and links to season totals and team rosters.