DAILY PILOT HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK:

Leading up to the Battle of the Bay, Michael Helfrich wasn’t sure if his jersey number matched the top of the running back depth chart.

No. 1 longed to start in the Newport Harbor High backfield.

A right hamstring injury in August limited his chances to even run the ball. The carries the first two games were closer to his jersey number.

Three carries the first game.

Two carries the second game.

All of a sudden, the senior heard words he desperately wanted to hear.

“I was all pumped when Coach [Jeff Brinkley] told me I was starting,” Helfrich said. “It felt really good. It felt really good.”

So good, Helfrich kept repeating how good he felt before playing Corona del Mar.

On the other side of the line of scrimmage, many of his childhood friends.

What did his former teammates expect?

“I played with most of those guys [during my eighth-grade year] on the Newport-Mesa Junior All-American Midget Seahawks,” Helfrich said. “They pretty much expected me to play.”

Helfrich expected more than a win. He delivered, rushing for 149 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries as the Sailors won, 42-13.

More than 5,000 fans turned out at Davidson Field last week. What they saw was a Newport Harbor blowout.

“We pretty much expected it,” Helfrich said.

The same friends who called Helfrich “Glider” in youth football, can now call him a “Bruiser.”

The 6-foot, 187-pounder ran right at the Sea Kings, hitting them like a prizefighter going for the knockout.

Nothing too fancy, just a lot of 33 blast and 34 power runs.

Helfrich prevailed with the help of left tackle Scott Ward, left guard Brandon Coffey, center Jake Taylor, right guard Michael McKay, right tackle Alex Rios, and fullback Ryan Andrews.

“Everybody didn’t think [the linemen] would be able to step up because we have two returning guys and one of our guys, Peter Kinney, [injured a knee],” said Helfrich, adding that Andrews has started at fullback with Brandon Kula being bothered by a hamstring. “[Kula, a linebacker] has only been focusing on one side of the ball [like I was at strong safety before the CdM game].

“We just ran the same play over and over [against CdM].”

Only once the Sea Kings managed to stop Helfrich behind the line. The rest of the time, Helfrich rammed his way for yards.

One time, he hammered CdM linebacker Dutch Lamons, a friend.

“I don’t think he said anything,” Helfrich said, “but we just stared at each other and then starting laughing.”

Defenders talked at first. Helfrich never paid attention.

“They would say something,” said Helfrich, but “I forgot” what the Sea Kings said.

They said nada. What can you say after trailing 26-6 at halftime?

More Helfrich if you ask quarterback Andrew McDonald.

The senior’s two touchdown passes late in the first and second quarters opened things up.

“We started opening up some holes,” McDonald said.

Helfrich’s night was just beginning. Fifteen times he carried the ball in the second half and he collected 104 yards.

The longest gain went for 27 yards. It set up a 17-yard touchdown run for Danny Miller, the back whom started for Helfrich the first two games.

The difference between these two seniors?

“Kind of a Reggie Bush and LenDale White kind of thing,” said McDonald, referring to the former USC running backs known as “Lightning” and “Thunder.”

Who’s Lightning?

“He’s Reggie,” said McDonald, pointing at Helfrich, who runs a 4.61-second 40-yard dash.

The two backs, now in the NFL, helped the Trojans win two national championships.

Helfrich wants to be part of a championship team before playing for an Ivy League university. He said Brown, Penn, Columbia and Harvard are showing interest.

Two more nonleague games, including tonight’s at home against Dana Hills (2-1) at 7, before the Sailors (2-1) open Sunset League play.

“It’s going to be tough,” said Helfrich, who last season contributed to the Sailors’ 3-2 finish in league, earning the league’s third playoff berth. “Us, Edison, Esperanza, Los [Alamitos], and Fountain Valley [are contenders]. It’s a pretty incredible league.”

Helfrich feels incredible. Why not? He’s No. 1, the top back now. Next is helping the Sailors be No. 1 in league.

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at [email protected].