Newport Harbor girls' water polo will meet Laguna Beach for Open Division crown

Newport Harbor's Morgan Netherton (4) turns an interior pass into a quick shot and goal in semifinal match against Foothill.

By Matt SzaboStaff Writer

Feb. 17, 2022 5:42 PM PT

IRVINE — They say that defense wins championships, and anyone who watched Wednesday night’s CIF Southern Section Open Division girls’ water polo playoff semifinals would probably agree.

Top-seeded Newport Harbor and No. 2 Laguna Beach each used dominating defensive efforts at Woollett Aquatics Center to move one step closer to a championship ring.

The Breakers blitzed No. 3 Orange Lutheran 10-3, before the Sailors topped Foothill 13-3.

Newport Harbor (25-1) will meet Laguna Beach (25-5) for the Open Division title at 5:30 p.m. Saturday back at Woollett.

Newport Harbor absolutely dominated its semifinal matchup, taking a 7-1 halftime lead and holding the Knights to a single goal until midway through the fourth quarter.

“It was fun,” said junior goalkeeper Anna Reed, who made 11 saves. “I think everybody really stepped up for this one. I feel so comfortable with [the defenders] in front of me. They make my life so much easier, and they’re the reason we’re able to do what we can do on offense.”

Newport Harbor's Avery Montiel (7) throws in a goal early in the first period during Wednesday's Open Division semifinals.

The Sailors had no issues scoring the ball. Morgan Netherton led with five goals, and fellow senior Bia Mantellato scored four. Junior left-hander Avery Montiel scored twice, while senior Taylor Smith (three assists) and freshman Caitlin Stayt had one goal each.

The Surf League champion Sailors will take an 18-match winning streak into Saturday’s final. The Sailors lost their first meeting of the year against Laguna Beach in the Bill Barnett Holiday Cup title match on Dec. 30, but have come back to beat the Breakers three straight times since then.

“We’re really excited to be in a championship game,” Sailors coach Ross Sinclair said. “Obviously, Laguna is a really good team, so we’ve got our work cut out for us. We’ve got two days to prepare.”

Newport Harbor is trying for its first CIF title in the top division in a decade, since 2012. The Sailors did win the Division 2 title in 2018.

To win Saturday, the Sailors will have to dethrone Laguna Beach.

Charlotte Riches (4) of Laguna Beach drives in a goal during Wednesday's CIF Southern Section Open Division semifinal.

As game announcer Keith Yonkers noted Wednesday night, the Breakers are still the defending champs in the top division after earning Division 1 titles in 2019 and 2020. There were no CIF playoffs last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“I feel like it’s really special this year, to get back to this game,” Breakers coach Ethan Damato said. “It means a lot to me, because these seniors and this group of girls has been battling for four years behind the scenes, waiting for their turn. People don’t see that. They don’t see the girls that are at practice busting their butt every day to get here. We have 10 seniors, and eight of them suited up here tonight. For them to continue to fight and put themselves in this situation, I think it’s really special for them and says a lot about our program.”

Hannah Carver and Charlotte Riches each scored two goals to lead a well-balanced Breakers effort against the Lancers. Lela McCarroll, Ava Knepper, Cleo Washer, Carly Rohrer, Ava Houlahan and Lexi Parness all scored one goal each.

Lela McCarroll throws in a goal over Orange Lutheran's Michelle Urkov during Wednesday's Open Division semifinal match.

Junior goalkeeper Lauren Schneider made 12 saves for the Breakers, who led 5-1 at halftime. Riches, also a junior, scored on two power moves from center, including one on a no-look shot.

“Honestly, a lot of my [shots] are kind of no-look because it’s so fast,” Riches said. “I came out there knowing this goalie [Foothill’s Alex Ortiz] is really good and that I needed to get her off her guard as much as I could. It’s really nice that my teammates trust me in those fast situations. It’s really an honor to be a set [center] on this team.”

Laguna Beach feels ready to give Newport Harbor its best shot. After rallying to beat San Marcos 9-8 in overtime in the quarterfinals, the Breakers also feel that they’re taking some momentum into the CIF final.

“We all feel confident in our work and our preparation going into the games,” Carver said. “We just know that we can win anything as a group if we’re playing together at our best. Anything is possible.”