Sailors settle for 3rd

Steve Virgen

Players from the Corona del Mar High girls water polo team cheered

for Newport Harbor when the Sailors played against Foothill in a

semifinal of the Irvine Southern California championships Saturday.

But the Sea Kings were far from encouraging Newport when the Back Bay

rivals played against each other for the third time this season in

the tourney’s third-place game at CdM.

Newport Harbor, which lost, 7-6, to Foothill in a semifinal, took

out its frustration on the Sea Kings, good for a 9-4 Sailors’

victory. The Tars (21-3) have defeated their rivals four straight,

dating back to last year.

“I think Newport was mad that [it] lost to Foothill,” CdM Coach

Aaron Chaney said. “We didn’t come out firing.”

This Back Bay rivalry game lacked the usual intensity it carries,

Chaney added. The teams apparently aren’t too much of rivals anyway.

“They’re rivals but they’re always friends,” Newport Coach Bill

Barnett said. “[Most of them] are in the junior lifeguards program.

But both teams wanted to win so to have that momentum into the CIF

playoffs.”

Barnett was pleased the Sailors were able to get back on track

after what he called a poor shooting performance against Foothill in

the semifinals. Momentum and rhythm are attributes that are important

for the Sailors, as they head into their Sea View League matchup

against Woodbridge at Newport Wednesday.

Barnett’s squad has clinched at a least a share of the title and

if it wins it will be the outright Sea View champion.

The Sailors, who finished second in the So Cal tourney last year,

seemed to have been clicking as they built a 4-1 halftime lead.

Things did not look well for the Sea Kings (15-9), who had two

starters, Camille Hewko and Katlin Kubas, foul out in the first half.

Anne Belden (four goals) and Carolyn Conway (two) were hot for

Newport, which held a 6-2 advantage after three quarters. But the Sea

Kings did not give up, coming within 6-4 with 4:28 left, when Katya

Eadington connected on an outside shot on a six-on-five opportunity.

However, the Sailors outscored Corona del Mar, 3-0, down the

stretch, as Belden scored an extra-player goal, Jessica Ball made

good on a counterattack and Conway closed out with an outside shot on

a power play. Ball’s goal came after a Belden steal that stuffed the

Sea Kings’ six-on-five chance.

Belden also had ended another power play earlier in the game with

a steal. Belden, Conway and Ball earned all-tournament honors along

with Hewko.

Fullen was named the tournament’s Outstanding Goalie. She recorded

eight saves, including two stops on four-meter penalty shots against

the Sea Kings.

Newport senior goalie Terin Cottam was quite comparable with her

play in the second half, particularly when she knocked down two

straight shots with 2:40 left and the Sailors protecting a 7-4 lead.

“She had a good, solid effort,” Barnett said.

The Newport girls were not available for comment after the game as

they had to get ready for their winter formal. Within the two hours

leading up to their game against the Sea Kings, Conway had her nails

done.

While the Sailors had the last word in varsity competition, it was

the Corona del Mar frosh-soph team that put in its two cents worth

with a 7-2 victory, as Holly Van Hiel and Christina Evans scored two

goals each to help the Sea Kings win the Newport Harbor tournament

Saturday.

Earlier in the day, Newport’s varsity team went 1 for 9 on

extra-player situations in its 7-6 loss to Foothill, the tournament’s

defending champion. Conway led the Sailors with four goals. She

picked up her third ejection and fouled out with 2:35 left and

Newport trailing, 7-6. There were three ties.

Newport gained its only lead with 2:10 left in the third when

Conway scored on a backhand shot. Ball assisted to help the Sailors

take a 5-4 lead. The Knights scored two goals to close out the

quarter, but Conway put one in on an outside shot with 6:08 remaining

in the game, catching Foothill, 6-6.

Jillian Kraus scored what proved to be the game-winner with 5:50

left.

Corona del Mar started its day with promise building a 2-0 lead in

the first quarter against Santa Barbara in the first semifinal played

Saturday. But the Dons wore down the Sea Kings and earned a 7-4 win.

Vivian Liao led Corona del Mar with two goals and Fullen had 11

saves.

Santa Barbara won the tournament with a 7-5 victory over Foothill

(22-3). The Dons’ Miranda Nichols was named the Outstanding Field

Player.

*--*

Irvine Southern

California championships

Third place

Newport Harbor 9, Corona del Mar 4

Score by Quarters

CdM 0 1 1 2 -- 4

Newport 2 2 2 3 -- 9

CdM -- Eadington 3, K. Kubas 1. Saves -- Fullen 8.

Newport -- Belden 4, Ball 2, Conway 2, Taylor 1.

Saves -- Cottam 5, Housepian 2.

*--*

*--*

Semifinal

Foothill 7, Newport Harbor 6

Score by Quarters

Foothill 1 3 2 1 -- 7

Newport 0 3 2 1 -- 6

Foothill -- Reynolds 3, Kraus 3, Rovenger 1. Saves

-- Krumpholz 9. Newport -- Conway 4, Mutt 1,

Taylor 1. Saves -- Cottam 4, Housepian 2.

*--*

*--*

Semifinal

Santa Barbara 7, Corona del Mar 4

Score by Quarters

CdM 2 0 2 0 -- 4

Santa Barbara 2 1 2 2 -- 7

CdM -- Liao 2, Eadington 1, Hewko 1. Saves --

Fullen 11. Santa Barbara -- Frost 2, Bugay 1,

Nichols 1, Easterday 1, Bahre 1, Craig 1. Saves --

May 9.

*--*