Wade Tift

Leap tall buildings in a single bound? Give Wade Tift some time. The Newport Harbor senior rushed for more than 200 yards in a single game, kicked a field goal in excess of 40 yards and, on the basketball court, hit three-point baskets with amazing regularity. One of the Sailors' most versatile athletes, Tift is also among the nation's elite prep shotputters. He leads the county this season with a personal-best mark of 60 feet 10 1/2 inches.

Leap tall buildings in a single bound? Give Wade Tift some time. The Newport Harbor senior rushed for more than 200 yards in a single game, kicked a field goal in excess of 40 yards and, on the basketball court, hit three-point baskets with amazing regularity. One of the Sailors' most versatile athletes, Tift is also among the nation's elite prep shotputters. He leads the county this season with a personal-best mark of 60 feet 10 1/2 inches.

School: Newport Harbor High Sport: Football Position: Running back Class: Junior As a sophomore, Tift started for the Newport Harbor football and basketball teams and threw the shot put more than 52 feet for the track and field team. Jeff Brinkley, the Sailors' football coach, considered moving Tift to quarterback this season to take further advantage of his all-around ability.

School: Newport Harbor High Sport: Football Position: Running back Class: Junior As a sophomore, Tift started for the Newport Harbor football and basketball teams and threw the shot put more than 52 feet for the track and field team. Jeff Brinkley, the Sailors' football coach, considered moving Tift to quarterback this season to take further advantage of his all-around ability.

Newport Harbor running back Wade Tift could use a little directional help on pass patterns this season. Tift, a senior, slipped into the end zone on a pass play during a summer league game, then got his bearings straight, or so he thought. Tift turned, expecting to catch a pass, but instead caught a face full of goal post. Tift is a little better at finding his way when they give him the ball directly.

Andre English scored 16 points as host Torrance Bishop Montgomery ran past Newport Harbor, 69-49, in the opening round of the Division III-AA playoffs. English scored 12 of his game-high 16 points in the second half to lead the Knights (21-2). The Sailors (12-15) took a 29-27 lead at halftime behind junior Ramy Shoukry's 12 points. But Bishop Montgomery went on a 14-3 run to open the third quarter, capped by a Jayson Sanders three-pointer, with 3 minutes 39 seconds remaining.

Derek Baker, a standout baseball player at Tustin High School, said he has chosen to attend USC. Baker also visited Cal State Fullerton, Arizona State and Miami before deciding on USC. "It basically felt like the best place for me," he said. Baker hit .429 with five home runs and drove in 38 runs in helping Tustin to the Southern Section Division III title as a junior.

Coach: Eric Tweit (14th year). 1992: State Division III and Southern Section Division III-A cross-country champions. Key returners: Jared Overton, Sr.; Sky Peterka, Sr.; Beau Ralphs, Sr., Wade Tift, Jr. Key newcomers: Bill Brandon, So. Outlook: The Sailors' strength lies in the distance events and the shotput.

Newport Harbor just missed recording its third consecutive shutout and settled for a 17-6 nonleague victory over Foothill Friday at Tustin High. The Sailors (3-0), who blanked Orange and Ocean View in their two previous outings, held the Knights (1-2) scoreless until Foothill quarterback Steve Wielandt connected with split end Justin Bower for a 34-yard touchdown pass with 17 seconds remaining. That ended a streak of 11 scoreless quarters for the Sailors.

Newport Harbor running back Wade Tift ran 56 yards for a touchdown early in the first quarter and the Sailors cruised to a 17-3 victory over Ocean View Friday at Huntington Beach High School. Tift's scoring dash came with 2 minutes and 49 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Tift, who also kicked a 42-yard field goal, had 130 yards rushing. Ocean View's Kurt Mascio 38-yard field goal with 1:54 left in the second quarter made the score 7-3 at halftime.

NEWPORT HARBOR 1992 RECORDS OVERALL LEAGUE 11-3 5-2 COACH: Jeff Brinkley RECORD AT SCHOOL: 51-31 RETURNING STARTERS OFF DEF 4 3 TOP RETURNERS OFF DEF YR Jay Berg-Hansen, 6-2, 225 OT -- Sr. Chris Edwards, 5-9, 170 -- DB Sr. Mike Freeman, 6-2, 220 TE DE Jr. Steve Gonzales, 6-1, 195 RB LB Sr. Brett Hlista, 6-3, 180 WR DB Sr. Paul Johnson, 5-8, 190 OG -- Sr. Wade Tift, 6-2, 200 RB -- Sr. TOP NEWCOMERS OFF DEF YR Matt Burns, 5-10, 200 OG LB Sr. Bill Johns, 5-8, 195 C NG Jr.