Few programs have sustained the level of success
Newport Harbor (Newport Beach, Calif.) has over the past three seasons. The Sailors arrive at the inaugural MaxPreps Flag Football Showdown Sept. 11-12 with another experienced roster capable of competing for a championship.
Head coach Jason Guyser's squad finished 23-3 last season and has compiled a remarkable 73-7 record since the program's inception three years ago. Despite an early exit in the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs last year, Newport Harbor remained among California's elite after posting a 25-1 record in 2023 and reaching the Division 1 championship game in 2024.
"We've set a standard at Newport Harbor that is very difficult to meet every year," Guyser said.
Skylie Cid was named the Sunset League's Offensive Player of the Year in 2025 for Newport Harbor, one of 18 teams competing in the MaxPreps Flag Football Showdown Sept. 11-12. (PHOTO: Marc Gewertz)
Junior quarterback
Scarlett Guyser, the Sunset League MVP, returns after accounting for 64 total touchdowns and nearly 4,800 yards of offense. She threw for 3,371 yards and 42 touchdowns while rushing for 1,372 yards and 22 more scores, making her one of the nation's premier dual-threat quarterbacks.
Junior
Skylie Cid, the Sunset League Offensive Player of the Year, headlines a versatile supporting cast after totaling 1,438 yards from scrimmage, 15 touchdowns and starring on defense with 129 flag pulls, nine sacks and nine interceptions. Juniors
Blakely Irvine and
Jocelyn DeTemple, along with seniors
Aaliyah Chappell,
Ashlyn Spicer and
Ava Mortensen, give the Sailors experience on both sides of the ball.
Guyser noted that incoming freshmen Sammie Palmer and Emma Yukoy add intriguing young talent.
"I'm confident that we've got some really good players, and I'm excited for them to be able to showcase what they do," Guyser said. "We just like to play the best. We just always want to challenge ourselves. It'll just be fun to play teams that we don't normally play that are high-level."
