Newport eliminated, 13-5

Roger Carlson

NEWPORT BEACH - Newport Harbor High’s host Sailors took their shots

at No. 4-seeded Harvard/Westlake of North Hollywood in the quarterfinals

of the CIF Division I water polo playoffs Saturday morning ... and

missed.

Coach Jason Lynch’s near-seniorless Sea View League champions met

their expectations for the season, with a .500 record (15-15), an

unbeaten league season and a berth in the quarterfinals of CIF, but

Saturday the Sailors simply ran into a roadblock.

“We knew what they were going to do,” said Lynch. “They pretty well

dominated the game and we may have been a little intimidated.

“We’re very young. We ended up on a good note.”

The Wolverines, now 17-4, had the size, aggressiveness and savvy to

record a 13-5 victory, sending them to the semifinals where they’ll meet

up with El Toro.

The Sailors were playing with Harvard/Westlake only in the beginning,

when Nathan Weiner scored the first of three goals with 3:39 left in the

first period.

Senior Jonathan Huang and junior Ross Sinclair ganged up on the

Wolverines to take a wide-open play and regain possession moments later,

but from there the Wolverines went on a 6-1 run on the way to an 8-3

halftime bulge.

Brent Armstrong and Michael Bury also scored for the Sailors.

Marty Matties and Kevin Schwimer led the winners with three goals

apiece.

CIF DIVISION I QUARTERFINAL

Harvard/Westlake 13, Newport Harbor 5

Harvard/Westlake 3 5 3 2 - 13

Newport Harbor 2 1 2 0 0 5 Harvard/Westlake - Matties 3, Schwimer 3, Warner 2, Honn 2, Delgadill0

1, Berman 1, Connolly 1. Saves - Gross 3.

Newport Harbor - Weiner 3, Armstrong 1, Bury 1. Saves - McLain 6.