Boys water polo: FINALS BOUND!

Tony Altobelli

NEWPORT BEACH - To head coach John Vargas, the play didn’t quite go

as expected.

For the Corona del Mar High boys’ water polo fans and players, it was

pure genius as Alex Niehenke’s goal with 41 seconds remaining in the

fourth quarter gave CdM a 4-3 CIF Southern Section Division II semifinals

win over Los Alamitos Saturday afternoon at Newport Harbor High.

“Actually, it was a little bit of a busted play,” Vargas admitted

afterward with a smile. “But I’m glad it did work, anyway.”

Niehenke’s goal came after a timeout by the Sea Kings. With 51 seconds

remaining, Ryan Jetton received the ball and fed it to Niehenke

approximately 10 meters from the goal. He turned and fired a laser past

the outstretched arm of Griffins’ goalie B.J. Poissel for the

game-winner.

“Alex did great for us,” Vargas said. “He started with a goal and he

finished with a goal. He came up huge today.”

Los Alamitos (21-7) tried to tie the game up, but the Griffins were

stopped by Niehenke and Tyler Drake, who forced Los Al into a turnover.

After CdM was called for a ball-under foul, the Griffins had one last

shot to tie. But with four seconds left, Los Al could not fire a shot off

and CdM escaped with the win.

In a game dominated by defense, cautious play and excellent

goaltending, the Sea Kings (16-10) advance to the CIF-SS Division II

finals against Servite Wednesday at 3 p.m. at Belmont Plaza in Long

Beach.

“Our game was predicated by what their defense would allow us to

have,” Vargas said. “We did not do a lot of driving and when we did, we

made sure it was done at the right time.”

Another key factor for the Sea Kings’ win was the play of goalie Brad

Netherton, who had 11 saves, including several point-blank shots.

“He really picked the right time to have his best game for us,” Vargas

said. “He was awesome out there.”

Niehenke got the Sea Kings on the board first off a pass from Garrett

Gentry for a 1-0 CdM lead.

Los Alamitos responded with two quick goals by Danny Coultrup and

Trevor Wawrzynski to take a 2-1 lead.

Morgan Johnston split the Griffins’ defense with a quick burst toward

the goal, forcing a four-meter penalty shot. Johnston converted the

penalty shot to tie the game at 2-2 in the second quarter.

After Poissel stopped a point-blank shot, Los Alamitos regained the

lead with 15 seconds remaining in the first half when Coultrup scored his

second goal of the game giving the Griffins a 3-2 lead.

Both goalies put on an exhibition of outstanding saves, keeping the

score, 3-2, Griffins after the third quarter.

CdM came out quick in the final quarter when Garrett Bowlus, off an

assist from Niehenke, sent a shot past Poissel to tie the game at 3-3

less than a minute into the fourth.

Netherton kept the game tied with three tough saves in the quarter, to

set up Niehenke’s heroics.

CIF SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION II SEMIFINALS

Corona del Mar 4, Los Alamitos 3

Los Alamitos 2 1 0 0 - 3

Corona del Mar 1 1 0 2 - 4

LA - Coultrup 2, Wawrzynski 1; CdM - Niehenke 2, Johnston 1, Bowlus 1.

Saves: LA - Poissel 12; CdM - Netherton 11.