CdM wins close, for once

Joseph Boo

NEWPORT BEACH - Spectators witnessed a rare occurrence at Newport

Harbor High in the matchup between Corona del Mar High and Laguna Beach’s

freshmen boys water polo team.

CdM (22-1) had to scrape together a comeback to pull out a 4-3 overtime

win. The Sea Kings, who have played about three close games all year,

pulled the game out by the skin of their teeth, chipping away slowly at a

tenacious Laguna Beach defense.

The Artists took a 3-1 halftime lead, with their defense keeping the Sea

Kings from going inside to Artie Dorr. CdM had to settle for perimeter

shots that were easily knocked away.

CdM got more aggressive in the third quarter. It got a number of good

shots, with two hitting the post. But CdM’s only goal came from Bobby

Messenger’s second shot in the third period.

Laguna Beach could not score though, on goalie Beau Stockstill. With time

winding down in the fourth, CdM kept pressing at Laguna Beach’s defense,

and Messenger scored late in the game to tie it at 3-3.

In the first minute of overtime, Marcello Pantuliano managed to push the

ball in from the two-meter spot to give CdM the win.

In the first game, CdM took advantage of a stingy defense and Fountain

Valley miscues to win 7-4. Stockstill only needed one save in the first

three quarters, and he still had a 6-1 lead.

Dorr scored all of his three goals in the first quarter to give CdM a 3-0

lead. Fountain Valley scored to cut the lead down, but Mike March’s goal

late in the second gave CdM a 4-1 halftime lead.

Messenger then scored two goals in the third to give CdM a seemingly

insurmountable 6-1 lead.

The Barons’ offense finally got aggressive in the fourth, scoring three

times on five shots. The Sea Kings closed it out when Brandon Powers

scored off a rebound late in the game.

CdM’s next game in the Gray Lunde Tournament is today at 10:30 a.m.

against Capistrano Valley at Newport Harbor. Harbor duels El Toro at 8

a.m.

GRAY LUNDE TOURNAMENT

Laguna Beach 1 2 0 0 0 - 3

Corona del Mar 1 0 1 1 1 - 4

Laguna Beach: Lile 3. Saves: NA

Corona del Mar: Messenger 3, Pantuliano 1. Saves: Stockstill 6.

Fountain Valley 0 1 0 3 - 4

Corona del Mar 3 1 2 1 - 7

Fountain Valley: O’Toole 3, Kim 1. Saves: Nichols 7.

Corona del Mar: Dorr 3, Messenger 2, March 1, Powers 1. Saves: Stockstill

3.