All five teams in CIF-SS boys’ water polo playoffs
The CIF Southern Section boys’ water polo playoffs will feature all five local high school programs for the first time in the same year.
Back Bay archrivals Corona del Mar and Newport Harbor made it in Division 1, while cross-town rivals Costa Mesa and Estancia are in Division 3. Sage Hill is in Division 5.
On Saturday, the five teams learned whom they open the playoffs with next week and in what round. The Sea Kings, Sailors and Mustangs start the postseason with first-round games on Wednesday at 5 p.m. The Eagles and Lightning are in wild-card matches on Tuesday, Sage at 5 p.m., Estancia at 3 p.m.
Corona del Mar (19-8) plays host to Los Alamitos (8-17). The Sea Kings claimed the Pacific Coast League title and the Griffins took third in the Sunset League. A CdM win most likely sets up a quarterfinal matchup with No. 4-seeded Los Angeles Loyola (21-4).
“We are in the spot that we were expecting to be in,” said CdM Coach Barry O’Dea, who led the Sea Kings to the semifinals last year. “It’s going to be an interesting match with Los Al, which is pretty good. We scrimmaged Los Al over the summer, but we haven’t seen [the Griffins] since then.”
Newport Harbor (16-10), the runner-up finisher from the Sunset League, travels to Moore League champion Long Beach Wilson (13-14). The Sailors and Bruins split their two meetings this year, Newport Harbor won, 11-10, on Sept. 8, and Wilson prevailed, 10-8, on Sept. 24.
Costa Mesa (20-8) plays at Almont League champion Montebello (15-8). The Mustangs, which placed second in the Orange Coast League, have a tough draw against Montebello, which lost to Laguna Beach, 12-8, in last year’s section championship.
Sage Hill (13-11) has a home date with Palm Desert Xavier Prep (10-13). Sage Hill finished in second place in the inaugural Academy League season, while Xavier Prep is the third-place team out of the Desert Valley League. The winner advances to the first round to play at No. 3-seeded Chino Hills Ayala (15-7) on Wednesday.
Estancia (11-17), which is making its first playoff appearance in five years, visits Alhambra Mark Keppel (5-13). The two are third-place teams, the Eagles from the Orange Coast League and Mark Keppel from the Almont League.
The winner earns a first-round meeting at top-seeded Murrieta Valley (22-6) on Wednesday.
“What I always tell the kids is that everybody wants to play the No. 1 team and get to the final,” said Estancia Coach John Carpenter, who is in his 37th season with the Eagles. “We can get our shot earlier rather than later [by winning our first playoff match in six years].”
