Boys water polo: Sailors handle The Bishop’s

Tony Altobelli

NEWPORT BEACH - Not only did host Newport Harbor show its dominant

current boys water polo team, but there was also a glimpse of the future

in Saturday’s 12-4 nonleague win over La Jolla’s The Bishop’s High.

“It was a good win for us,” assistant coach Brian Kreutzkamp said

afterwards. “I was a little surprised at the score, but they’re a team

that’s in a rebuilding mode right now. I was very happy with the way our

younger guys played in the second half for us.”

After a scoreless opening two minutes of action, Newport, ranked No. 2

in CIF Southern Section Division I, got on the board, courtesy of Steven

Jendrusina at the 4:44 mark.

It became 2-0 when Peter Belden scored off an assist from Paul Kepner.

The Knights scored shortly thereafter, but after that, it was all

Newport Harbor, scoring seven straight goals to the blow the game open.

Kyle Bean and Brendon Hansen scored before the first quarter ended,

giving the Sailors (16-1) a 4-1 lead.

“We’ve got a big matchup against Foothill right around the corner, so

I was very pleased with the way we didn’t look past this game,”

Kreutzkamp said. “We showed good focus and patience today.”

Belden and Jendrusina scored again in the second quarter, before Ryan

Cook scored back-to-back goals to double the Sailors total to 8-1.

Just before the end of the first half, Robert Weiner was a one-man

show, shooting point-blank, only to be denied by Knights’ goalie Justin

McLean.

Weiner, however recovered his own rebound and managed to sneak it past

McLean to give Newport a 9-1 halftime lead.

The second half was played predominantly by the Sailors’ bench, which

is exactly what the doctor ordered, according to Kreutzkamp.

“This is exactly what we needed,” Kreutzkamp said. “It allowed our

younger guys an opportunity to play, while at the same time, it gave some

of our starters a chance to rest.”

After Newport went scoreless in the third quarter, Travis Cochran used

a nice inside move to score for the Sailors.

Even junior varsity call-ups Caine Litrell and Greg Worthing managed

to get on the scoreboard for Newport, whose reserves matched the Knights’

starters in the second half, 3-3.

“We saw a glimpse of the future for our club today, and I was very

happy with the results,” Kreutzkamp said. “They managed to hang in there

with those guys very well.”

In goal, starter Tim Birdsong made the tough saves when needed and

backup goalie Sean Johnson stopped two point-blank shots for Newport

Harbor.

Next up for the Sailors is a nonleague showdown with the Foothill

Knights, ranked No. 3 in CIF-SS Division I, Friday at 3:15 p.m.

“It’s a battle of two of the top teams in Orange County,” Kreutzkamp

said. “It should be a great matchup.”

NONLEAGUE Newport Harbor 12, The Bishop’s 4

The Bishop’s 1 0 1 2 - 4

Newport Harbor 4 5 0 3 - 12

NH: Belden 2, Jendrusina 2, Cook 2, Hansen, Bean, Weiner, Cochran,

Litrell, Worthing. Saves: Birdsong 9, Johnson 4.