Defensive Change Gives Orca a Winning Edge

The Villa Park Orca and Tustin SoCal water polo clubs have plenty of history between them. And Saturday, in the U.S. Water Polo National Junior Olympic tournament finals at El Toro High, the two added another exciting chapter.

The gold-medal game featured numerous players from Orange County high schools, and tournament MVP Joey Pacelli, from Villa Park, scored with 2 minutes 17 seconds remaining to help Orca win, 5-4, in the boys’ 17-and-under division.

Orca defeated SoCal in the 1995 Junior Olympics 15-and-under gold-medal game, but SoCal defeated Orca, 6-5, during preliminary competition last week.

“We made some defensive adjustments,” said Orca Coach Jeff Ehrlich, who also coaches at Villa Park High. “Every time we play them it seems like it’s a one-goal game. And when you have to go against a goalie like [Nick Ellis of North Tustin], it makes it even tougher.”

Orca took a two-goal lead after holding SoCal scoreless for a 6 1/2-minute stretch in the second and third quarters. But Greg Lonzo of Riverside and Jordan Hewko of San Clemente scored to pull SoCal even, 3-3, with 4:29 remaining.

Then Orca’s brother tandem from Villa Park responded. After Nick Pacelli scored on a four-meter penalty shot, his younger brother, Joey, scored 1 1/2 minutes later to push the lead to 5-3.

Orca goalie Carlos Gonzalez, from Mission Viejo, made two big saves in the fourth quarter. SoCal shooters also hit the crossbar twice in the final quarter.

Colin Shaughnessy of San Clemente scored with 1:46 remaining to pull SoCal within 5-4, but it could draw no closer.

Kyle Baumgarner of Villa Park scored two goals and Matt Sakatani of Lake Forest scored once for Orca.

In the 15-and-under division:

Long Beach Shore 7, San Diego Shores 5--Tony Azevedo scored five goals for Long Beach in the gold-medal game. Tustin SoCal won the bronze medal, defeating South Pasadena, 10-9, in overtime. Hank Taylor scored three goals for SoCal.

In the 13-and-under division:

Tustin SoCal 8, Coronado 5--Blake Seymour scored four goals for SoCal in the gold-medal game. Long Beach Shore defeated Newport Beach Youth, 13-3, in the bronze-medal game.