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![JSerra’s Munir McClain during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)]()
JSerra’s Munir McClain during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)
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![JSerra’s Chris Castillo breaks down the sideline during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)]()
JSerra’s Chris Castillo breaks down the sideline during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)
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![JSerra’s Tarik Luckett and MuNir McClain celebrate a touchdown during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)]()
JSerra’s Tarik Luckett and MuNir McClain celebrate a touchdown during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)
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![JSerra’s Tarik Luckett can’t hang onto a deep ball as Corona del Mar’s Joey Flanigan falls during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)]()
JSerra’s Tarik Luckett can’t hang onto a deep ball as Corona del Mar’s Joey Flanigan falls during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)
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![JSerra’s Al Fisher breaks a tackle attempt from Corona del Mar during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)]()
JSerra’s Al Fisher breaks a tackle attempt from Corona del Mar during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)
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![JSerra’s Matt Robinson throws during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)]()
JSerra’s Matt Robinson throws during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)
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![Corona del Mar’s Jt Murphy jukes past JSerra’s Chris Castillo during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)]()
Corona del Mar’s Jt Murphy jukes past JSerra’s Chris Castillo during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)
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![Corona del Mar’s Nathaniel Espinoza throws during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)]()
Corona del Mar’s Nathaniel Espinoza throws during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)
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![Corona del Mar’s Nathaniel Espinoza celebrates with Sean Owens after a touch down during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)]()
Corona del Mar’s Nathaniel Espinoza celebrates with Sean Owens after a touch down during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)
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![JSerra’s Eli Jefferson and Chris Castillo celebrate a sack during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)]()
JSerra’s Eli Jefferson and Chris Castillo celebrate a sack during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)
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![JSerra’s Tarik Luckett leaves a trail of defenders behind him as he moves downfield during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)]()
JSerra’s Tarik Luckett leaves a trail of defenders behind him as he moves downfield during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)
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![Corona del Mar’s Nathaniel Espinoza drops back to throw during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)]()
Corona del Mar’s Nathaniel Espinoza drops back to throw during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)
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![Corona del Mar’s Nathaniel Espinoza is sacked by JSerra’s Shawn Nielsen during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)]()
Corona del Mar’s Nathaniel Espinoza is sacked by JSerra’s Shawn Nielsen during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)
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![JSerra’s Al Fisher crosses the goaline for a score during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)]()
JSerra’s Al Fisher crosses the goaline for a score during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)
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![Corona del Mar’s Nathaniel Espinoza is first through the banner during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)]()
Corona del Mar’s Nathaniel Espinoza is first through the banner during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)
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![Corona del Mar gets pumped up before a season opening game against JSerra at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)]()
Corona del Mar gets pumped up before a season opening game against JSerra at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)
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![Corona del Mar’s Jt Murphy is brought down by JSerra’s Jamiel Henning in the second quarter during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)]()
Corona del Mar’s Jt Murphy is brought down by JSerra’s Jamiel Henning in the second quarter during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)
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![JSerra’s defense celebrates a sack during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)]()
JSerra’s defense celebrates a sack during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)
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![JSerra’s fans watch the game in the first quarter during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)]()
JSerra’s fans watch the game in the first quarter during a season opening game at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach on Friday, August 25, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)
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NEWPORT BEACH – A veteran quarterback and running back helped JSerra’s football team open a renovated stadium Friday with a victory for its new coach.
Three-year starter Matt Robinson passed for 340 yards and senior Al Fisher rushed for 101 yards as the No. 9 Lions defeated No. 13 Corona del Mar, 45-27, in the debut of Coach Pat Harlow at new-look Newport Harbor.
Robinson, a Montana commit, tossed two touchdowns while Fisher, a transfer from Paramount who played at JSerra as a freshman, rushed for two other scores.
“They’re unbelievable players,” Harlow said of the duo. “They won the game for us. We didn’t do very well up front and penalties were killing us. Excited to have the win but really disappointed how we played.”
JSerra (1-0) needed every bit of the offensive production because Corona del Mar quarterback Nathaniel Espinoza passed for 325 yards and two touchdowns to rising sophomore John Humphreys in his first start.
The pairing between the Division 1 Lions and Division 4 Sea Kings (0-1) produced more than 800 yards offense.
“CdM is a great program,” Harlow said. “They have a lot of pride and it showed.”
JSerra opened a 35-13 in the third quarter on the second touchdown runs by Chris Castillo and Fisher.
Fisher scored on an 11-yard TD run with 4:38 left in the quarter thanks to a path-clearing block from tight end TJ Medina but the Sea Kings avoid the knockout.
Corona del Mar answered with a 22-yard touchdown pass by Espinoza to Humphreys with 50 seconds left in the third.
It was a huge night for receivers. Humphreys (five catches for 113) and teammate Tae Le (four for 106) each surpassed 100 yards while JSerra’s Tyler Shimomura hauled in six catches for 118 yards. The Lions’ Tarik Luckett added seven receptions for 97 yards.
Robinson helped highlight the fourth by rolling to his left and throwing across his body for a 14-yard TD to Luckett. The extra-point by Jake Haggard made it 41-20 early in the period.
JSerra led, 21-13, after a mostly back and forth first half.
Fisher escaped several tacklers in the backfield to break a slick, 29-yard touchdown run with 2:01 left in the first quarter to give JSerra an early lead.
Corona del Mar tied the score, 7-7, on its next possession with an 18-yard touchdown strike by Espinoza to Humphreys with 29 seconds left in the opening quarter.
JSerra’s defense set up the Lions’ next score. Abdul-Malik McClain and Joey Philippi forced an intentional grounding that led to a punt from the Corona del Mar 1. JSerra capitalized on the short field and scored on fourth-and-goal on a 3-yard dive over the pile by Castillo.
Corona del Mar responded again. The Sea Kings drove 72 yards for a 5-yard TD run by Espinoza with 5:18 left in the half. The extra-point failed, leaving JSerra ahead, 14-13.
The Lions took lead for good on the ensuing possession as Robinson launched a deep pass that hit Munir McClain in stride for a 66-yard TD with 3:57 in the half.