Newport Harbor gets offensive

Joseph Boo

NEWPORT BEACH - In Newport Harbor High’s 11-4 nonleague boys water

polo win over visiting Laguna Beach, goalie Tim Birdsong was an unlikely

offensive star.

Birdsong recorded five assists in the game and routinely set up nice

scoring opportunities for the Sailors.

“We really scored a lot,” Newport Harbor co-coach Brian Kreutzkamp said.

“We had a lot of good scoring opportunities and chances and I’m really

happy with it.”

While Birdsong gave, Ryan Cook took. He led all scorers with five goals,

including the game’s first right at the outset. The most impressive of

Cook’s goals was from the two-meter spot, where he backhanded one in.

The Sailors, No. 1 in Orange County and No. 2 in CIF Southern Section

Division I, scored eight goals in the first half.

In the beginning, though, it looked like Laguna Beach would be able to

match Newport Harbor’s scoring output. The Artists answered and scored

immediately after the Sailors’ first two goals in the first quarter.

Newport Harbor (15-1) then took a sizable lead with four goals in a row.

Cook scored at the end of the first quarter and Steve Jendrusina, Paul

Kepner and Cook scored in the second. The Sailors took a comfortable 8-4

lead into halftime.

Both teams had a high number of shots in the first half, with Birdsong

forced to make five saves.

“I was really concerned with our defense in the first half,” Kreutzkamp

said. “But in the second half, we really tightened up.”

Indeed, Newport Harbor shut out Laguna Beach in the second half. The

defense kept most of the shots outside, and Birdsong only had to make a

couple of tough saves.

Laguna Beach’s defense also shut out Newport Harbor in the third quarter

until Peter Belden scored from the perimeter with three seconds left.

Newport’s reserves then came in and kept the Artists from getting closer.

Cook and Joey Snelgrove got goals in the fourth quarter to extend the

lead for the Sailors.

Laguna Beach drops to 11-6.

NONLEAGUE

Newport Harbor 11, Laguna Beach 4

Laguna Beach 2 2 0 0 - 4

Newport Harbor 4 4 1 2 - 11

Laguna Beach: Damato 2, Burdick 1, Ziegler 1. Saves: Bartels 7.

Newport Harbor: Cook 5, Belden 3, Kepner 1, Jendrusina 1, Snelgrove 1.

Saves: Birdsong 8.