Corona del Mar looks at promising season

Joseph Boo

NEWPORT BEACH - Democracy truly reigns at Corona del Mar High,

where all the players on the boys water polo team are literally

considered equals. “All these guys are solid,” CdM Coach John Vargas

said. “One guy doesn’t stick out more than the other. If one guy does

stick out, then I think we have a problem.”

In fact, the team follows the egalitarian theories so closely that senior

David Fabian, who is co-captain with Garrett Gentry, will come off the

bench. He’s a substitute even though he was considered one of the more

solid players in the Sea View League last year. The team is so deep, all

12 members will get ample playing time.

This is good news for the Sea Kings, who return all 12 players from a

team that went 12-12, 4-1 in the Sea View League, and reached the second

round of the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs.

Nevertheless, some players will be focused on throughout the season.

Senior Gentry will be the center of the offense as the two-meter man.

Gentry earned all-league honors last year and he is the key for the Sea

Kings’ offense for it to be effective. And goalie Brad Netherton will be

counted on to anchor the defense.

But the heart of CdM is it’s defense. It has a deep and balanced group of

players in front of Netherton. “Everything on our team starts with

defense,” Vargas said. “We focus on playing good, hard man-to-man

defense. Through our defense, we’ll build on our counterattack.”

If there is one unique aspect to the team, it’s that everybody is a

senior. This team should be tight and cohesive with it’s experience

level, but that means the future will belong to a rebuilding plan. “We

do have some good young players who will push the veterans for starting

time,” Vargas points out. “But we have a lot of seniors who have been

together for a long time. They know how to handle themselves.”

Corona will be facing new challenges with entry into the Pacific Coast

League. Among potential roadblocks are Laguna Beach, University and Costa

Mesa

Roster

G Ryan Netherton Sr.

2M Garrett Gentry Sr.

2M Alex Niehenke Sr.

DR D.J. Jackson Sr.

DR Ryan Jetton Sr.

DR Morgan Johnston Sr.

DR Chris McCormick Sr.

DR Matt Petry Sr.

DR Cliff Shepherdson Sr.

UT David Fabian Sr.

UT Brady Flynn Sr.

UT John Graass Sr.