Wade Tift

Newport Harbor used one of those "don't try this at home" methods to stay alive in the Division IV football playoffs. The Sailors spotted previously unbeaten Riverside Rubidoux an early two-touchdown lead and then stormed back to upset the Falcons 28-14 in a quarterfinal at Newport Harbor High School. Newport Harbor (10-2) will face Corona del Mar in a semifinal next Friday.

Newport Harbor got defensive Thursday night, forcing five Santa Margarita turnovers--all by quarterback Sean O'Brien--en route to a 27-16 Sea View League victory. Newport Harbor (7-2, 4-2) scored in every quarter as O'Brien threw three passes that were intercepted and fumbled twice in his worse outing of the season. Three of the turnovers led directly to Newport Harbor scores. "It was the worse we've played offensively all year," Santa Margarita Coach Jim Hartigan said.

Forgive the spectators at the Irvine Track and Field Invitational Saturday if some weren't quite aware of who was racing in the girls' 3,200 meters. Liza Alexander of Tustin herself said she had a forgettable season last year, not even breaking 12 minutes in the 3,200. She ran 11 minutes 28 seconds as a sophomore. Saturday at Irvine High, Alexander broke new ground, racing to a convincing victory in 11:17.8 over Laguna Hills' Mayra Medina, who was second in 11:22.6.

1993 RECORDS OVERALL: 7-4 LEAGUE: 4-3 * COACH: Jeff Brinkley RECORD AT SCHOOL: 58-35 * RETURNING STARTERS OFF: 3 DEF: 6 TOP RETURNERS OFF DEF YR John Benzinger, 6-2, 175 WR -- Sr. Mike Freeman, 6-1, 225 TE LB Sr. John Giordani, 6-3, 175 QB -- Sr. Bill Johns, 5-9, 190 -- NG Sr. Brian Johnson, 5-8, 175 RB DB Sr. Dan McDonough, 6-1, 210 -- LB Sr. Matt Riggle, 5-11, 205 FB LB Sr. Scott Sandstrom, 5-9, 165 -- DB Sr. * TOP NEWCOMERS OFF DEF YR Brandon Baker, 6-1, 180 OG -- Jr.

Los Alamitos starters are used to being pulled out of their games early this season. The contest is usually well in hand and Coach John Barnes doesn't want to rub it in. But the difficulty with which Palmdale went down in a 48-26 victory, provided the Griffin starters with a rare opportunity to play beyond halftime. They weren't pulled until 3:14 remained. That, in part, led to the extraordinary statistics of Mike Good and Brad Melsby.

Wade Tift let everyone know what had happened. Moments before, he had put Newport Harbor in the Southern Section Division IV final with a burst of energy. His 30-yard touchdown run had broken a 21-21 tie with Corona del Mar and put the Sailors in their first football title game in the school's 61-year history. It was a moment a running back lives for and thrives on. So Wade, how did you do it? "It wasn't me," Tift said. "The offensive line made it happen. It was a perfect play.

GARY YOUNG 100, 200 Woodbridge, Jr. A foot injury after Sea View League prelims cut Young's promising season short, otherwise he might have been fast enough to qualify for the State meet. His best in the 100 was 10.82 and his best in the 200 was 22.09. ETHAN TAUB 400 Foothill, Jr. Taub's best of 48.12 helped him reach the State meet final. He was the Orange County champion and also finished second in the Southern Section Division II final. TAD HEATH 800 Foothill, Sr.

If Saturday's Sunkist Invitational is any indication, Newport Harbor's track and field teams will be forces this season. It began with the meet's first event, when senior Wade Tift thoroughly dominated the shotput with a mark of 59 feet 1 inch. Tift, who has signed a letter of intent with UCLA, posted three fair throws in four attempts, and any of them would have been enough to beat second-place finisher Jeremy Stout of Bakersfield (57-1).

Newport Harbor followed a familiar pattern in earning its fifth shutout of the season Friday night during the first round of the Southern Section Division IV playoffs. The Sailors took an early lead, capitalized on a couple of turnovers, put together time-consuming third-quarter drive and then let its defense do the rest during a 31-0 victory over host La Verne Damien in front of 3,000 fans.

It didn't start that way, but Newport Harbor eventually cranked up its traditional running game and defeated Saddleback, 22-0, Friday in a Sea View League game at Santa Ana Stadium. The stakes were anything but high. No matter what happened, Newport Harbor (8-2, 5-2 in league) was assured of a playoff spot and Saddleback (3-7, 2-5) was assured of playing its final game of the season.