Boys water polo: CdM is No. 2 seed

The Corona del Mar High boys water polo team opens its quest for a

third straight CIF Southern Section Division II crown as the No. 2 seed,

while defending CIF Division I champion Newport Harbor is unseeded

entering Thursday’s first round.

The Sea Kings (19-3), who claimed their third straight Pacific Coast

League crown this season, host first-round Division II foe Cypress at

3:15 p.m.

CdM is trying to deliver the school’s 12th section title as a going

away present for 18-year coach John Vargas, who will take over the

Stanford men’s program next season.

Sea View League champion Newport Harbor (14-13), won’t have much

trouble being prepared for first-round visitor, Capistrano Valley, since

the Sailors defeated the Cougars, 13-8, in the regular-season finale

Friday.

If victorious, CdM would meet the Santa Margarita-Sonora winner in

Saturday’s quarterfinals. Third-seeded Los Alamitos is a potential

semifinal foe, while Servite, which joins Coronado as the only teams to

defeat CdM this season, is the No. 1 seed.

Should the Sailors, coached by Jason Lynch and Bill Barnett, top

Cypress, they would face either third-seeded Harvard-Westlake or Santa

Ana Valley in Saturday’s Division I quarterfinals.

CdM is led by returning CIF Division II Co-Player of the Year Michael

March, a senior, as well as returning All-CIF honorees Artie Dorr (first

team), Sherwin Kim (second team) and Bobby Messenger (third team).

Newport, which has also won 11 CIF titles, would likely face No.

2-seeded El Toro if it could get to the semifinals.

Long Beach Wilson, which saw its streak of four straight Division I

crowns ended last year by the Sailors, is the No. 1 seed in Division I.

The finals in both divisions are Nov. 17 at Belmont Plaza.