Bercutt Shows His Mettle as Goalie Helps Harvard Sink Mission Viejo

This is how Larry Bercutt spends his time after classes let out at Harvard High: He hurries to the school’s pool, leaps into about 10 feet of water and then lets all of his buddies slam hard, wet volleyballs off the bridge of his nose.

Bercutt does it during the summer too. And sometimes before school.

In fact, Bercutt has gotten so good at this activity--as goalie for Harvard’s water polo team--that he was named the Southern Section 2-A Division Player of the Year last season. This season, the senior All-American is impressing the 3-A Division.

“Bercutt’s definitely one of the best goalies around. He makes a difference out there,” Mission Viejo Coach Ron Osumi said after fourth-seeded Harvard had defeated the Diablos, 9-5, in Wednesday’s Southern Section 3-A quarterfinal match at Harvard. “On a couple of our shots, under the same circumstances with a different goalie, we would have had goals.”

Bercutt, who had 10 saves, is the last line of defense for Harvard, which killed eight of the nine situations in which the Diablos had an extra-man advantage. And Bercutt rules the defense with an aggressive style rare among high school goalies.

“You have really got to come out there and direct the defense,” Bercutt said. “If the defense does what I want them to, we can set a trap.”

Said Harvard Coach Rich Corso: “Larry is now starting to realize he has to come in and out. That it really screws up the timing of the two-meter man.”

With Bercutt providing stout defense, Harvard attacked Mission Viejo (14-11) on offense. After a scoreless first quarter, the Saracens scored four times in the second quarter to take a 4-1 lead. Brian Border poked in a rebound early in the quarter, and, one minute later, Ryan Crosbie scored from close range after a length-of-the-pool assist from Bercutt. Hasan Yardimci added a goal on a penalty shot before Crosbie’s second score of the quarter finished the 4-0 outburst.

Harvard’s spree was especially impressive given the nature of the scoring. The Saracens continually outraced Mission Viejo--winner of 14 of the past 15 4-A Division swimming titles--to its defensive end.

“We fast-breaked them into the ground,” Corso said.

Crosbie, Border, Yardimci and freshman Jim Toring each scored twice. Mission Viejo closed to within three goals twice in the third quarter at 6-3 and 7-4, but late fourth-quarter goals by Yardimci and Ryan Salceda meant a date in the semifinals for the third consecutive season.

Harvard (26-4) won the 2-A championship last season and lost in the division final in 1987. The Saracens will face top-seeded El Toro on Saturday at a neutral site to be determined.

Corso, as usual, is not intimidated.

“I’m happy with what they’ve done,” he said of his team. “(But) they know I’m not going to be satisfied and that I have high expectations of them and the program.”