Girls water polo: CdM makes a splashy debut

Joseph Boo

CORONA DEL MAR - After its first ever playoff game, Corona del Mar

High’s girls water polo team boasts a stellar playoff history.

The Sea Kings overwhelmed visiting Katella Wednesday, 16-2, in a CIF

Southern Section Division IV wild card game. CdM advances to face Orange

League winner Brea Olinda on the road Saturday.

“The girls were excited about the game, and it showed,” CdM Coach John

Vargas said. “They came out and did a really good job.”

The Sea Kings (16-11, ranked No. 5 in Division IV) put the game away

early by scoring six times in the first quarter. Freshman Danielle

Carlson got four of those goals and finished with six. She has amassed an

absurd total of 18 goals in CdM’s last three games.

“She really has done a good job lately,” Vargas said.

But it’s hard to signal out one single performer for CdM that stood out.

Katella (15-13, ranked No. 10) was simply outmatched, and the Sea Kings

scored at will against the Knights. In the first half, CdM scored 10

times on only 12 shots.

Of the 16 goals CdM scored, five came off the counter. The Sea Kings’

stingy defense forced turnovers and they benefited from the ensuing fast

breaks.

“I thought our defense was good,” Vargas said. “And our goalie made a lot

of good passes.”

CdM goalie Arin Hendrickson had two assists and 10 saves in three

quarters of action, and pushed CdM’s offense into high gear with long

passes.

The score was 13-0 after three quarters before CdM started trying out new

lineups. The Sea Kings scored 14 unanswered goals before Katella’s

Christina Sanchez scored in the fourth quarter. The Knights also got a

six-on-five goal from Delon Wright, who is the sister of Cleveland Indian

pitcher Jaret Wright (and the daughter of former Angels pitcher Clyde

Wright).

Melinda Tucker had three CdM goals. Lauren Guthrie, Christina Hewko and

Daniela DiGiacomo each scored twice. DiGiacomo also had three assists,

which tied Carlson for the team lead.

Among the CdM frosh/soph team members who entered in the fourth quarter,

Kelli Kline had two assists and goalie Jessica Wells had six saves.

The Sea Kings have now scored 39 goals in their last three games, dating

back to a 14-11 win against Coronado two weeks ago. CdM’s offense is

roaring at just the right time, and the Sea Kings will actually go in as

the favorite against Brea. Should they win, CdM will most likely get a

real test with No. 3 Rosary.

“I don’t know a lot about them,” Vargas said. “We’ll just prepare as

best as we can.”

CIF DIVISION IV WILD CARD

Corona del Mar 16, Katella 2

Katella 0 0 0 2 - 2

Corona del Mar 6 4 3 3 - 16

Katella - Sanchez 1, Wright 1. Saves - Papadopoulos 1, Reyes 1.

Corona del Mar - Carlson 6, Tucker 3, Guthrie 2, Hewko 2, DiGiacomo 2,

Orbe 1. Saves - Hendrickson 10, Wells 6.