Huntington Beach boys’ water polo outlasts Laguna Beach for Division 1 title
WALNUT — The Huntington Beach High boys’ water polo team had waited a while for its first CIF Southern Section championship.
It came suddenly Saturday night at Mt. San Antonio College, in the moment it takes for a clean outside shot to whistle into the goal.
Junior attacker JD Johnson scored on the first possession of sudden-death overtime, lifting the Oilers to a 10-9 victory over Surf League rival Laguna Beach in the Division 1 title match.
Huntington Beach coach Sasa Branisavljevic leaped into the arms of his players for a post-game picture after the Oilers made history.
“Beautiful,” Branisavljevic said. “I want to say that it’s a long time coming, but Laguna put forth an effort we haven’t seen. They really came out strong, so I was super-happy that the boys were able to pull through. We definitely felt uncomfortable in getting ourselves closer to their goal and finding opportunities, but it’s a CIF final game — that is expected in a sense, right? I’m just super-proud of my guys. Big finish, they stepped up when we needed it the most.”
Top-seeded Huntington Beach (22-10) was playing No. 2 Laguna Beach (18-13) for the fifth time this season, and earned its fourth victory. But it certainly wasn’t easy.
The Breakers, led by five goals from senior Diego Audebert, took an 8-5 lead late in the third quarter before Huntington Beach rallied.
Senior Christian Hammonds led the Oilers with three goals, adding two assists.
“We worked so hard as a team,” said Hammonds, bound for UC San Diego. “I feel like there was a lot of ups and downs in that game, but we pulled through in the end. It’s the end of the season, we have to give it our all. Yeah, we’re tired, but it’s not about how tired we are at that moment. It’s about winning it for the team and playing together.”
Laguna Beach senior Eli Taub scored a power-play goal in the first overtime period to give the Breakers a 9-8 lead, but Huntington Beach junior Dusan Djordevic responded with an outside strike in the second overtime period.
That took the teams to sudden death. Huntington Beach senior Mikey Trujillo won the sprint, giving his team a first crack at winning the game, and the Oilers delivered.
With Laguna Beach sagging off Johnson in favor of covering UC Irvine-bound Oilers senior center Ethan Spoon at two meters, Johnson delivered on a cross-cage blast with 2:40 remaining in the period.
“I just evoke confidence in those moments,” Johnson said. “When people leave me, it boosts my confidence there … This moment, I’ll remember it forever. This is one for the books.”
Spoon and Johnson finished with two goals each. Senior Logan Garwick also scored for the winners, who got 14 saves from Air Force-bound senior goalkeeper Jay Pyle.
Senior center Maxwell Schlaich scored two goals for the Breakers. Senior goalkeeper Tyler Swensen made 12 saves.
Huntington Beach was favored to win both of its previous title match appearances, but ended up as runner-up to Orange Lutheran in 2016 and to Newport Harbor two years ago.
This was a moment worth waiting for.
“To get it done and have this kind of closure … it’s a beautiful feeling,” Branisavljevic said.
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