CORONA DEL MAR (1-1) VS. NO. 16 NEWPORT HARBOR (0-2)

Where, when: Newport Harbor High, Friday, 7 p.m.

TV: Time Warner Cable SoCal 101, Saturday, 9:30 a.m. (tape)

Outlook: “The Battle of the Bay,” as this community rivalry is called. Last year, it was a battle. Newport Harbor beat Corona del Mar in a close one, 29-26. Corona del Mar’s most recent victory was in 2006, but between then and last year Newport Harbor won by margins of 34, 29, 30 and 22 points. Not very battle-ish.

The Sailors have won 16 of their past 18 games against the Sea Kings, and have a 37-13 lead in the series that began in 1963. Corona del Mar won the CIF-Southern Section’s Southern Division championship last year, but lost a bunch of top contributors to graduation.

The Sea Kings, ranked No. 2 behind Segerstrom in the Southern Division this season, lost to Laguna Hills in their season opener, 21-12, then beat Western, 34-7, last week. Newport Harbor has lost to two good teams, Trabuco Hills, 27-21, and Loyola of Los Angeles, 42-7. Trabuco is 2-1, Loyola is 3-0.

Newport again has a strong running game. Tala Teaupa is averaging 112 yards a game while sporting perhaps the longest hair in county football. Corona del Mar quarterback Cayman Carter has been good, completing 58 percent of his passes for 180 yards a game. For many of the past 20 years it has looked like this rivalry should cease, as the games too often were one-sided. Last year proved that the rivalry can be a competitive one, and this year could prove it again. But look its superior running game and defense to get Newport Harbor its first 2012 victory.

Winner: Newport Harbor

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