Boys water polo: Tars, CdM earn top seeds

CERRITOS - For the first time in their illustrious water polo

history, Back Bay boys high school teams from Corona del Mar and Newport

Harbor share something besides the same neighborhood.

Both are No. 1 seeds in the CIF Southern Section playoffs, which begin

Thursday and Friday.

CdM (18-5), opens defense of its CIF Division II championship Friday

against visiting Katella at 3:15 p.m.

Newport Harbor (23-5), which lost in the Division I semifinals last

season as the No. 2 seed, hosts Millikan Thursday at 3:15.

The Sea Kings, who defeated Servite, 8-6, in last year’s championship

match, earned their second straight Pacific Coast League title this fall.

Led by U.S. men’s national team coach John Vargas, CdM is keyed by senior

first-team All-CIF returner Garrett Bowlus, as well as sophomore Artie

Dorr.

The Sailors, co-coached by Bill Barnett and Brian Kreutzkamp, won the

Sea View League for the fourth straight season. They are paced by seniors

Peter Belden and Ryan Cook, first- and second-team All-CIF picks,

respectively, last year.

Four-time defending Division I champion Long Beach Wilson is the No. 2

seed in Division I. Foothill is No. 3 and Villa Park No. 4.

Los Alamitos is the No. 2 seed in Division II, followed by No. 3

University and No. 4 Santa Margarita.