Episode 30 - CIF So Cal Regional Championship Game Recap - Newport Harbor vs. Aquinas

Summary

In the CIF State Tournament, the Newport Harbor Sailors' football team faced off against Aquinas High School from San Bernardino, ultimately falling 42-28. Despite the loss, they finished the season as CIF Division Six champions with a 7-8 record. The Sailors started strong but faced challenges in the second quarter, leading to Aquinas' comeback. Coach Lofthouse praised the team's grit and ability to overcome adversity throughout the season, highlighting their historic playoff run and the journey from underdogs to champions.

Takeaways

• 🏆 The Newport Harbor Sailors football team reached the CIF State Tournament but lost to Aquinas High School from San Bernardino with a final score of 42-28.
• 🥇 Despite the loss, the Sailors finished the season as CIF Division Six champions with an overall record of seven wins and eight losses.
• 🏈 Aquinas High School's football team, the Falcons, will advance to play Vandan High School from Fairfield for the triple-A state title in Northern California.
• 🎙️ The game was broadcasted by Tar Radio, and the final game of the season was played in December, which is considered a special treat for football enthusiasts.
• 📉 The Sailors had a strong start leading 21-7 in the second quarter, but a series of penalties and missed assignments led to a shift in momentum.
• 🔄 Aquinas found their footing in the second half, with big plays and a strong offensive line that helped them secure the win.
• 🏃‍♂️ Aquinas' freshman running back, Jojo Solis, had an impressive performance with over 200 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries.
• 💪 The Sailors showed resilience and grit, fighting back in the fourth quarter and giving themselves a chance to win despite the earlier setbacks.
• 🤔 The turning point of the game was identified as the second quarter when Newport Harbor started making mistakes that Aquinas capitalized on.
• 🎤 Coach Lough's post-game speech highlighted the team's journey from freshmen to CIF champions and encouraged the seniors for their leadership and the path they paved.
• 🌟 The 2021 Newport Harbor Sailors football team will be remembered for overcoming adversity and their grittiness throughout the season.

Q & A

What was the final outcome of the CIF State Tournament game between the Sailors and Aquinas High School?

The Sailors lost to Aquinas High School with a score of 42-28.

How did the Sailors' season end in terms of their overall record?

The Sailors finished the season with a record of seven wins and eight losses.

What was the significance of the Sailors being CIF Division Six champions?

Being CIF Division Six champions indicates that the Sailors were the best in their division within the CIF league.

Who was Aquinas High School scheduled to play after defeating the Sailors?

Aquinas High School was scheduled to play Vandan High School from Fairfield for the triple-A state title.

How did Coach Lough describe the Sailors' performance from their start as freshmen to becoming CIF champions?

Coach Lough expressed pride in the Sailors' progress, stating that there was no disgrace or shame in their accomplishments and that they had paved the pathway from being freshmen to becoming CIF champions.

What was the turning point in the game that led to the Sailors' loss?

The turning point was in the second quarter when the Sailors started to make penalties and missed assignments, leading to a lack of execution that snowballed against them.

How did Aquinas High School manage to come back from a 21-7 deficit?

Aquinas found their footing, started executing their offense effectively, and made big plays including a deep throw for a touchdown and a kickoff return.

What was the key to the game for both teams according to the script?

The key to the game for both teams was controlling the line of scrimmage, which Aquinas managed to do effectively with their talented offensive and defensive lines.

How did the Sailors' performance in the fourth quarter reflect their season's theme?

The Sailors' performance in the fourth quarter, where they fought back and gave themselves a chance to win, reflected their season's theme of overcoming adversity and being gritty.

What was the significance of AJ Gutron Moore's journey from third string to championship quarterback?

AJ Gutron Moore's journey signifies the team's ability to overcome obstacles and adversity, as he went from being a third-string player to leading the team as a championship quarterback.

What was the impact of the underclassmen's contribution on the 2021 football team?

The underclassmen contributed significantly, gaining valuable experience from the 15 games, which will make them feel like veterans and contribute to the team's strength in the next season.

Outlines

00:00

🏈 Postseason Conclusion for Newport Harbor Sailors

The script opens with a recap of the Newport Harbor Sailors' journey in the CIF State Tournament, highlighting their regional loss to Aquinas High School from San Bernardino with a final score of 42-28. The Sailors finish their season with a 7-8 record, having achieved the title of CIF Division Six Champions. The Aquinas Falcons are set to play Vandan High School for the Triple-A State Title. The narrative captures the atmosphere of playing football in December and includes a post-game speech from Coach Lough to his team, emphasizing their growth and achievements despite the loss. The summary also discusses the turning point in the game where the Sailors initially led 21-7 but later faced setbacks due to penalties and missed assignments, allowing Aquinas to regain momentum.

05:00

🌅 Newport Harbor's Fight and Season Recap

This paragraph delves into the Sailors' resilience and determination despite facing a challenging middle phase in the game. It discusses the team's ability to readjust and fight back, drawing parallels to their first game of the season. The script mentions key players and their contributions, such as AJ Gutron Moore's rise from third string to championship quarterback and Josiah Lamarcke's 10 postseason touchdowns. The summary underscores the team's grit and ability to overcome adversity, which is highlighted by Coach Lofthouse as a defining characteristic of the 2021 Sailors football team. It concludes with a reflection on the season's unexpected success, the CIF championship win, and the anticipation of the next season, acknowledging the contributions of the entire team and the broadcast crew.

10:02

🎉 Celebrating the Sunset League Season and Looking Forward

The final paragraph wraps up the season by celebrating the Sunset League's CIF championship year and thanking the viewers for their support throughout the season. It acknowledges the contributions of the broadcast team, the coaches, and the Newport Harbor team for the access granted during the coverage. The script also teases upcoming content for the off-season, inviting the audience to follow their social media and website for further updates. It ends with a personal note from the broadcasters, expressing gratitude for the audience's engagement and setting the stage for an exciting off-season discussion within the league.

Keywords

💡Sunset League

The Sunset League is a high school football league mentioned in the video. It is significant as it is the league where Newport Harbor High School's football team competes. The video discusses the team's journey and performance within this league, culminating in their participation in the CIF State Tournament.

💡Newport Harbor Sailors

Newport Harbor Sailors is the football team from Newport Harbor High School. The team's season, including their victories and challenges, is the main focus of the video. They finished their season as CIF Division Six champions but lost in the state tournament to Aquinas High School.

💡CIF State Tournament

The CIF State Tournament is a statewide high school football competition in California. Newport Harbor Sailors participated in this tournament and advanced to the regionals before being defeated by Aquinas High School. The tournament represents a high level of achievement for the team.

💡Aquinas High School

Aquinas High School is the team that defeated Newport Harbor Sailors in the CIF State Tournament regionals. Located in San Bernardino, Aquinas High School went on to compete for the 3-AA state title. Their strong performance and eventual victory over Newport Harbor are highlighted in the video.

💡Coach Lofthouse

Coach Lofthouse is the head coach of the Newport Harbor Sailors football team. His leadership and the motivational speech he gave to his team after their loss to Aquinas High School are featured in the video. He praises the team's efforts and highlights their achievements despite the loss.

💡Adversity

Adversity refers to the various challenges and obstacles the Newport Harbor Sailors faced throughout their season. The video emphasizes how the team overcame these difficulties, such as injuries and tough opponents, to become CIF Division Six champions. Overcoming adversity is a central theme of the team's story.

💡Griffin

The term 'gritty' is used by Coach Lofthouse to describe the Newport Harbor Sailors football team. It refers to their resilience and determination in the face of challenges. This characteristic is highlighted as a key factor in their success throughout the season and in their ability to bounce back during difficult games.

💡Jojo Solis

Jojo Solis is a freshman running back for Aquinas High School who had an outstanding performance against Newport Harbor Sailors. With 25 carries, over 200 yards, and three touchdowns, his performance was pivotal in Aquinas's victory. His talent and impact on the game are emphasized in the video.

💡Henry Slater

Henry Slater is a player for the Newport Harbor Sailors. Despite a strong start to the season, he struggled in the game against Aquinas, managing only 36 yards on 14 carries. His performance is contrasted with that of Jojo Solis, highlighting the challenges Newport Harbor faced in the game.

💡Taran Rodriguez

Taran Rodriguez is a reporter who covered the Newport Harbor Sailors during the postseason. His contributions and reporting are acknowledged and praised in the video. He provided in-depth coverage and insights into the team's journey, playing a significant role in documenting their season.

Highlights

Newport Harbor Sailors made it to the CIF State Tournament, regionals against Aquinas High School.

Sailors ended their season with a 7-8 record, becoming CIF Division Six champions.

Aquinas Falcons advanced to play Vanden High School for the 3-AA state title.

In the second quarter, the Sailors were leading 21-7 and appeared to be heading for a blowout win.

Key turning point in the game for Newport Harbor was a series of penalties and missed assignments in the second quarter.

Aquinas started to find their footing and executed several big plays, including a kickoff return for a touchdown after halftime.

Freshman running back Jojo Solis of Aquinas had an outstanding performance with 25 carries for over 200 yards and three touchdowns.

Newport Harbor struggled to establish the run game, with Henry Slater managing only 36 yards on 14 carries.

Despite challenges, Newport Harbor fought back in the fourth quarter with notable plays from Billy Ridley and Cash Hingham.

Coach Lofthouse praised the team's grittiness and ability to overcome adversity throughout the season.

Newport Harbor's 2021 season featured several comebacks, highlighting their resilience and determination.

AJ Guitron Moore's journey from third-string to championship quarterback epitomized the team's season-long theme of overcoming obstacles.

The Sailors' season included significant contributions from underclassmen, setting up a promising future for the team.

Taran Rodriguez was recognized for his excellent reporting on the Sailors during the postseason.

Sunset Rewind's first year covering the Sunset League was marked by Newport Harbor's CIF championship win.

Transcripts

[Music]

bienvenidos aloha welcome into sunset

rewind finally

sunset league football in the postseason

has come to a close the sailors made it

all the way to the cif state tournament

the regionals against aquinas high

school from san bernadino they fell on

friday night in san bernardino

42-28 sailors finish the season seven

and eight they are cif division six

champions the aquinas falcons they're

going to go on and play vandan high

school from fairfield up for the three

double-a state title on friday up in

northern california

but howard we were at the game we called

the game for tar radio final game of the

season playing football in december is

always a treat and we'll hear from coach

loftos here in a second but it was quite

a run from the sailors here's a clip

from coach lough's post game speech to

his team after the loss of the falcons

in san bernardino

you're still the only ones

now for you guys for next season now you

got a new goal right

you got a new dream for you guys that

are seniors

you guys paved the pathway that i

couldn't be very proud of

from where you began as freshmen to

where you are now as cim champions there

is no disgrace no shame and anything you

guys accomplished howard in the second

quarter sailors were up 21-7 and we were

looking at each other like okay we got

to make travel plans to get up to

fairfield up to northern california

because the sailors looked like they're

about to coast to a blowout

what changed in the second quarter

because they ended up losing by two

scores so what changed for newport

harbor what was the turning point of the

game for you

well you know there was a couple of

things but like you said 21-7 and it

wasn't just that the sailors had a 14

point

margin it was that three different

receivers had scored we saw a 50-yard

touchdown if the sailors wanted to run

the ball they're picking up five yards

if they want to throw the ball deep they

had that all day it just felt like the

sailors were cruising

everything was going their way and then

about midway through the second quarter

we saw a couple of penalties we saw a

couple of missed assignments a lack of

execution started from the sailors and

it just felt like it started to snowball

and they had 10 guys going left one guy

going right and it seemed like that

happened over and over and at that same

time aquinas started to find their

footing aquinas finally started to to

get their offense going the way that

they planned to and we saw some big

plays i mean you know i said on the

broadcast does aquinas have any big

plays in them

right away they throw the ball deep then

they have a 20-something yard touchdown

then they come back have another quick

strike after half time they run the

kickoff return back i mean it was just

so many things started to pile up

positively for aquinas and conversely

newport harbor they just could not get

out of their own way for about a quarter

and a half

yeah i think we talked about it on our

preview show one of the keys to this

game for both teams was controlling the

line of scrimmage and we knew aquinas

had some real talent on the offensive

and defensive line we saw that on

display for them their freshman running

back jojo solis 25 carries over 200

yards three touchdowns and on the sailor

side henry slater 14 carries just 36

yards the sailors they were never able

outside of some plays early in the game

they were never able to really establish

the run and control the line of

scrimmage like we had seen in their

previous four playoff victories well i

mean that's what happens when you get to

the 15th game of the season and you're

playing a cif champion in aquinas and we

we know they're a team that's very

talented up front very physical and jojo

solis he's a freshman phenom he was

absolutely amazing the quarterback ran

the ball

they had fernandez as a receiver when we

saw him come to life we're like what the

heck why hasn't he been getting the ball

more because he's excellent so

you know it's easy to say that newport

harbor that they started to implode a

little bit or implode is probably strong

it's probably too strong he just started

to make a couple of mistakes and when

you make those mistakes at a certain

time you know at the right time

they start to pile up and it feels like

it's getting away from you but that's

because aquinas is talented that's

because they're good they execute and

they started picking up i mean at one

point it felt like they were getting

seven eight yards of pop running the

ball on first down so when they're doing

that if you're newport harbor do you

load the box and do you try to stop them

from going up the gut well then aquinas

goes to the outside then they throw the

ball so it was just it like i said it's

a cif champion team they were well

coached they were prepared and uh

newport harbor you know they ended up

turning it on towards the end of the

third quarter they had a fourth quarter

that they can be proud of gave

themselves a chance to to win you know

billy ridley had a big interception uh

cash and hingham had a great touchdown

there was a couple of opportunities so

yes it did get ugly in the middle for

the sailors but

they're champions do you know they're

not just going to lay down maybe earlier

in the season when aquinas starts to

pile on the sailors just pack it up and

go home but not after this playoff run

that they've been on so they were up for

the fight it just took too long to

readjust once aquinas started to get it

going in the middle of the game

coming full circle it sort of felt like

in that fourth quarter for the sailors

it felt almost like the first game of

the season against yorba linda where the

sailors all of a sudden started clicking

in the fourth quarter it was too little

too late but like you said sailors can

at least they're champions first of all

they got a ring this is the furthest as

we heard coach loftown say this is the

furthest a newport harbor sailors

football team has ever gone in team

history but the sailors we felt the

energy because we were posted up calling

the game on the newport harbor

sideline on the on the away side there

in san bernardino we felt the energy

sucked out of the fans sucked out of the

team but then it did come back cash had

that touchdown billy ridley had the

biggest interception of his life and the

sailors they fought to the very end i

think that's the story of this team this

season in fact coach lofthouse said as

much we asked him you asked him this

morning on our zoom call what's special

about this newport harbor 2021 sailors

football team here's what he had to say

well i think overcoming adversity and uh

is the big one you know this team we're

going to talk a lot about adversity you

know and and the highs and the lows of

the season and what the positions that

we were in early in the year in the

middle of the season and then how we

turn it around and that speaks to

ultimately the one thing we do talk a

lot a lot about as a program is be

gritty you know and that's what this

team is this team is the definition of

gritty

well that's certainly the characteristic

about the 2021 football team from

newport harbor that's going to stand out

of course it's going to be the

grittiness it's going to be you know

overcoming the obstacles that they faced

in game obstacles throughout the

playoffs you know even at santa barbara

well even if you go back to sunny hills

you know big lead early sunny hills

comes back ties it up at santa barbara a

couple of early turnovers it's a tie

game

early in the first half against

dominguez you're down two scorers

against aquinas you're down three scores

so there was adversity the whole time

and this is a team that you have to be

proud of because they they found a way

to once it does even in this game we're

talking about the the self-inflicted

wounds started to pile up but then what

happened the sailors found a way to

correct it sailors found a way to relax

found a way to execute to get back to

what they do and they gave themselves a

chance to to be in the game at the end

so this is a team that's going to be

remembered for overcoming obstacles

overcoming adversity you know aj gutron

moore from third string to to

championship quarterback that that's a

obstacle that's adversity built in and

it just means string to ring that's what

his i saw aj's dad at the game and the

ed sweatshirt said from third string to

ring so there's there's that story right

there right that's a and that's just a

that situation is a microcosm of the

whole season which is we're gonna find a

way to overcome we're gonna stick with

it and at the end

if everything goes the way it's supposed

to we'll be crowned as champions and

that's what happened for the sailors so

it was a heck of a season yeah exactly

so many people to be proud of so many

people to thank really for you and i

doing the sailors broadcast covering the

team for sunset rewind we didn't expect

to be doing playoff episodes recaps and

previews all the way into december and

like you said aj gootron more microcosm

of the team josiah lamarcke 10

postseason touchdowns cash and hendrum

had an amazing postseason the offensive

and defensive lines finally lived up to

their potential in the postseason the

defense got the credit they deserved so

so many cool story lines that came to

life over these final five games of a 15

game season where really could have

ended three and seven could have been a

ten game season and over ended up going

15 games and like you said on our cif

division six championship recap show

a program changing win a life-changing

win for coach lofthouse and these kids

and we'll preview next season we'll

we'll do an overarching season recap and

we'll touch on some things to look for a

way to early season preview but i'm

excited about the future for sailors

football yeah you got to be excited you

know there was great senior leadership

on this 2021 football team but there was

also a lot of underclassmen who were

contributors a lot of young guys a lot

of guys that are going to come back next

season

having 15 games under their belt from

2021 they're gonna feel like veterans

you know guys like henry slater josiah

marquez already a veteran just a ton of

young guys out there

so it's going to be fun to watch next

year

as we wrap up this final recap show from

the 2021 season i also got to give a big

shout out to our reporter taran

rodriguez who took over covering the

sailors in the postseason at taran

rodriguez one on twitter and he he just

did an amazing job for us so i want to

make sure he gets his due on this final

recap show he

he he just i mean couldn't ask for a

better reporter cover in the sailors

this year

absolutely yeah taryn certainly hold it

held it down there there was a whole

crew involved you know cj here on the

production side for us uh everybody all

the coaches you know newport harbor for

giving us the access so we could cover

the team and be along for the ride and

i'm so happy that the first year of

sunset rewind was a cif championship

year for the sunset league it couldn't

have worked out better absolutely well

howard i know we got more content coming

out over the off season so stay tuned

for that follow us on social media

at sunset underscore rewind go to our

website sunsetrewind.com stay tuned

because we got stuff coming this off

season we thank you for riding along

with us from our first episodes back in

the summer to all the way now in

december recap episode and there's more

to come so big shout out to everybody

who followed along throughout the sunset

league season it's gonna be a fun

offseason lots to talk about for

all the players parents and coaches in

the sunset league for my broadcast

partner howard croom this is alex

crawford saying from the 405 to pch from

saddleback to the pacific ocean you've

been watching sunset rewind thanks for

tuning in

[Music]