CdM reigns supreme in PCL water polo

Richard Dunn

CORONA DEL MAR - As Corona del Mar High’s defense made it look easy

with goalies Sherwin Kim and Beau Stockstill, it was as if University’s

Trojans were playing catch in the pool with them Wednesday.

With the Pacific Coast League water polo championship at stake, host

CdM dominated for four quarters and clinched at least a tie for the PCL

crown with a 12-5 victory.

“There’s a reason why Corona del Mar is ranked No. 1 in Orange County

now,” University Coach Jon Pendleton said. “(The Sea Kings) play great

defense and they have two great goalies. It was like my guys were passing

to them, (Kim and Stockstill) were in such great position.”

Kim (four saves), who plays the first half of games in CdM Coach John

Vargas’ scheme, and Stockstill (eight), who plays the second half,

benefited from the outstanding defense of junior Michael March.

March was given the assignment of guarding Uni’s Teddy Peck, a

6-foot-5 senior and one of the best players in CIF Southern Section

Division II.

“We just wanted Michael to match up with Peck, then play regular D.

Position is everything,” said Vargas, whose squad (15-2, 4-0 in PCL)

improved to 12-0 since his return from the Olympic Games in Sydney, where

he coached the U.S. water polo team.

The Sea Kings’ offense also clicked as senior Chriss Street and junior

Bobby Messenger led the way with three goals each, while March, senior

Garrett Bowlus and sophomore Artie Dorr scored two each.

“Chriss Street stepped up and played great on the counterattack,”

Vargas said. “He showed great composure. Street and Messenger usually do

not score a lot, but we needed some different guys to score goals.”

CdM, ranked No. 1 in CIF Division II, scored on the game’s second

possession, when Messenger tipped in a rebound, after Bowlus’ shot hit

the crossbar.

Messenger scored again on the counterattack 2:12 into the game as CdM

upped its lead to 2-0.

Peck scored his first of two goals, then Dorr scored with 0:21 left in

the first quarter to beat the 35-second shot clock, after swift passing

from Bowlus and Street, who got the assist.

CdM scored two counterattack goals in the second quarter for a 5-1

lead. Then, with 0:30 to play in the first half, Peck beat two CdM

defenders in the hole and scored again.

But the Sea Kings pulled away with four third-quarter goals, three on

the counterattack.

Stockstill also had two assists in the second half on long passes from

the cage.

With 2:56 left in the third quarter, CdM junior Marcello Pantuliano

made a steal and dished to Bowlus, who fed Street on the counter for a

goal and an 8-3 lead. March scored from two meters with 0:23 on the clock

as CdM increased its lead to 9-3. Uni fell to 14-7, 3-1.

The Sea Kings’ frosh-soph team breezed past the Trojans, 12-1.

Jason DiRocco led the attack with five goals, while Nadim Hakim and

Griffin Gentry each added two goals.

Ryan Mane, John Mann and John Money each had single goals for CdM,

while goalie Tyler Brundage came up with four saves.PACIFIC COAST

LEAGUECorona del Mar 12, University 5University 1 1 1 2 - 5Corona del Mar 3 2 4 3 - 12Uni scoring: Peck 2, Fyfe 2,

Graessli 1. Saves: Chow 5.

Corona del Mar scoring: Messenger 3, Street 3, Bowlus 2, March 2, Dorr

2. Saves: Kim 4, Stockstill 8.