Jorth taking care of business for Sailors

Clay Jorth is no stranger to scoring goals. He’s netted plenty while

playing for the No. 1-ranked Newport Harbor boys water polo team. But

scoring goals alone is not why Jorth is one of Orange County’s top

players.

“He’s not always the leading scorer, although sometimes he is,”

Newport Harbor Coach Jason Lynch said. “But that’s not his most

important role. It’s the confidence he brings to the team. He

controls the ball and the team. He gives his teammates confidence and

makes them better.”

Jorth is strong in many aspects of the game.

“I’d say my strengths are experience, knowledge of the game,

swimming and shooting,” Jorth said.

He also prides himself on dishing out assists.

“He kind of functions as our point guard,” Lynch said. “He

distributes the ball really well.”

Jorth also finds the back of the net really well. Last week when

Newport Harbor knocked defending champion Long Beach Wilson off the

No. 1 spot in CIF Southern Section Division I and claimed the spot as

its own with a 9-5 nonleague victory, the game started and ended with

goals by Jorth. The All-CIF Division I first-team returner closed out

the game with a man-advantage goal with two seconds left in

regulation time.

“Clay was big for us today,” Lynch said after the game. “Not just

with his shooting, but his control of the ball and his control of

whatever situation he was in.”

Jorth and the Sailors were not done. Last Saturday, the team

defeated San Diego powerhouse Coronado, 14-8. Jorth added three more

goals.

“With all the returning seniors, it’s finally our turn,” Jorth

said after the Long Beach Wilson game. “This is definitely Newport

Harbor’s year to shine.”

Jorth, emerging as one of the best water polo players to come out

of Newport Harbor High, also found out he’ll be competing for Team

USA in the Junior World Championships

to be held near Buenos Aires, Argentina, Oct. 6 to 15, at the

Pan-American Stadium in Del Mar Plata. The opening ceremony will take

place at the Pan American Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 8.

“Oh yeah, he’s for sure one of the top five players to come out of

Newport Harbor High,” Lynch said.

Despite his Team USA commitments, Jorth is pumped up about what

could be a special season for the Sailors.

“I read that article about how Long Beach Wilson is mad they lost

to us. Hey, we came out ready to play,” Jorth said. “If they weren’t

ready to play to our level, hey ... It has definitely motivated us to

keep going. It has brought a high level of excitement to the pool

every day. Our goal is the get the ring at the end of the season. We

want to win it all.”

Winning a CIF title is just the beginning for Jorth, if all goes

as planned.

“I just want to win CIF and keep playing in college and keep

playing for the national team,” he said. “My ultimate goal is to some

day play in the Olympics.”

Jorth hasn’t taken college recruiting trips yet, but the 6-foot,

212-pound senior, who loves to munch on sushi, is considering UCLA,

Cal, USC and UC Santa Barbara.

Jorth played for the Junior National team two years ago but didn’t

make the team last season. He’s happy to be back on the squad again

this year.

“You learn new stuff every game. Everything is faster. It’s an

extremely high level of competition,” he said.

Whenever a team faces Jorth and the Sailors this season, you can

bet it will be facing a high level of competition.

Clay Jorth

Born: March 9, 1988

Hometown: Costa Mesa

Height: 6-foot

Weight: 212 pounds

Sport: Water polo

Position: Driver/attacker

Coach: Jason Lynch

Favorite food: Sushi

Favorite movie: “Boondock Saints”

Favorite athletic moment: “There’s so many. Just the daily

routine, I’d say. Coming in every morning with teammates. All year

‘round, really. They keep me going.”

Week in review: Jorth netted five goals in helping the Newport

Harbor High boys water polo team dethrone defending CIF champion Long

Beach Wilson, 9-5. Wilson was ranked No. 1 in CIF’s Division I at the

time. After adding a victory against powerhouse Coronado High,

Newport is the No. 1-ranked team in the division.

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