Newport Harbor boys' water polo dominates rival CdM early, clinches outright Surf League title

Newport Harbor's Tommy Kennedy, left, blocks the shot by Corona del Mar's Tanner Pulice in the Battle of the Bay match on Wednesday at Corona del Mar High.

By Matt SzaboStaff Writer

Oct. 23, 2019 10:44 PM PT

Tommy Kennedy has been in and out of the lineup for the Newport Harbor High boys’ water polo team for much of the season.

Back injuries have affected the senior left-hander, who is committed to play at Cal. He said he was diagnosed with an acute lumbar strain and sprain.

“I’d injure it, then I’d get better, then the next game I’d injure it again,” Kennedy said. “But now it’s healed enough to where I can play fully.”

Kennedy appears to have put the setbacks behind him, if Wednesday night’s Surf League game at rival Corona del Mar was any indication. Now he’s just back.

He scored three first-half goals and the Sailors beat the rival Sea Kings 13-7. Newport Harbor’s second Battle of the Bay win clinched its second straight outright Surf League title with one match remaining.

Newport Harbor's Mason Hunt scores on Corona del Mar goalkeeper Harrison Smith in the Battle of the Bay match on Wednesday.

Newport Harbor (18-3, 5-0 in league), ranked No. 2 in CIF Southern Section Division 1 and 2, got balanced scoring across the board against No. 14 CdM (16-7, 2-3). Sophomore Mason Hunt also scored three goals, while senior center Ike Love, senior Makoto Kenney and sophomore left-hander Gage Verdegaal each scored twice.

“It feels good not to have to rely on just the seniors,” said Verdegaal, who also had two assists and a field block. “We can go throughout the pool and know each person can execute, and it feels good to be a part of that.”

Senior goalkeeper Blake Jackson made seven saves and senior defender Reed Stemler added a goal and two field blocks for the Sailors, who played an inspired first half defensively that led to a 7-1 halftime advantage. CdM’s only first-half goal was the first one of the match, scored by senior Tanner Pulice after a steal by senior Tyler Harvey.

Corona del Mar's Tanner Pulice unleashes a shot and scores in the Battle of the Bay match against Newport Harbor on Wednesday.

CdM went the final 13:28 of the half without a goal, a span that included six straight power-play opportunities the hosts couldn’t convert. They finished scoreless in seven power-play chances, while Newport Harbor converted seven of 10 with the man-advantage. And the contributions came from throughout the pool, with Newport Harbor’s primary centers Love and junior Eli Liechty scoring just two combined goals.

“I think it shows that we have a lot more depth,” Kennedy said. “That’s really important for championship teams. Let’s say [Kenney] breaks his finger again. We’re going to need someone late in the season to step up into his spot. I feel that when CdM’s running that super-zone and making the younger kids step up, it’s really good for them to get experience and know when to shoot.”

Pulice had four goals and junior Eamon Hennessey scored twice for CdM, which pulled within 10-6 early in the fourth quarter but couldn’t get closer. Senior goalkeeper Harrison Smith made six saves, including one on a penalty shot, and added two steals.

CdM can force a second-place tie in the league with Huntington Beach (16-7, 3-2), if the Sea Kings beat the Oilers in their league finale at home on Oct. 30 at 7:30 p.m. Should that happen, CdM coach Kareem Captan said a tiebreaker match would be played the following day at a venue to be determined.

“We’ve shown that we can put good quarters, good halves, a good three quarters together,” Captan said. “Right now, at this time of the season, we’re really looking to put four quarters together, and I think our guys are really committed to that. The most impressive thing I saw out of our boys today ... was that our guys never gave up. We have to keep that mentality for the rest of the season.”

Both Newport Harbor and CdM head north to play in the Memorial Cup tournament this weekend at San Jose Bellarmine Prep. If the rivals each win their first matches on Friday, they would play each other in the tournament quarterfinals. Newport Harbor is the defending tournament champion.