Boys water polo: Sea Kings rip through Los Al

Richard Dunn

NEWPORT BEACH - Size, strength and savvy at two meters made a huge

difference Wednesday as Corona del Mar High dominated Los Alamitos in the

semifinals of the CIF Southern Section Division II boys water polo

playoffs.

The Sea Kings, led by 6-foot-4, 210-pound senior John Mann, stunned

the Griffins with a big first half and cruised to a 12-6 victory at

Newport Harbor High.

“Watching them,” Los Alamitos Coach Dave Carlson said of the

second-seeded Sea Kings, “it was like they were not a real high school

team. They’re so good.”

Corona del Mar (23-3), which has yet to be challenged in the playoffs,

will face unseeded Esperanza (18-10) in the CIF Division II championship

game Saturday at 6 p.m. at Belmont Plaza Olympic Pool.

Esperanza defeated Laguna Beach, 9-8, in double overtime in the

nightcap of a Division II semifinal doubleheader at Newport Harbor.

Esperanza upset top-seeded Servite, 6-5, in the quarterfinals.

The Sea Kings, who built a 9-1 halftime lead against the Griffins

(17-11), will be aiming for their 12th CIF title in the sport and their

seventh under Coach John Vargas, the future Stanford coach who will

direct Corona del Mar for one final time Saturday. They will also be

seeking their third straight Division II title.

“The boys were so focused, they were so ready to play,” Vargas said.

“(Tuesday) they were bouncing off the walls in practice. It was just a

great team effort.”

The Sea Kings lost their top player, 6-4, 220-pound senior Michael

March, because of three ejections with 4:54 left in the third quarter.

But they didn’t flinch as Mann, junior Artie Dorr (6-foot, 230) and a

host of fired-up Sea Kings kept Los Alamitos at bay.

“It hurt our right side, not having a big lefty shooter, but the other

guys filled in well,” Vargas said. “Everything (March) did was fine, but

I guess the referees didn’t think so.”

After CdM won the game’s opening sprint, March scored from two meters

10 seconds into the contest, beating Los Alamitos’ double-team.

Dorr scored from the hole on the Sea Kings’ ensuing counterattack 39

seconds into the game, then Mann (team-high six goals) scored from two

meters on the counterattack on an assist by Dorr, getting around three

defenders in the process as the Griffins called an early timeout.

“Our guys came out and did the best they possibly could,” Carlson

said. “We had the best matchups we could have at two meters and (the Sea

Kings) score in the first second of the game. They scored two goals with

guys on top of them. When our crash came at two meters to help out, they

still scored. I still think down 9-1 our defense played the best it

possibly could.

“That was the most dominating high school team I’ve ever played

against. We would double-team them at two meters and they’d still score.

They’re just that good. It felt like we were playing a college team.”

Mann scored two more goals in the first quarter as CdM built a 5-1

edge. Following CdM senior goalie Sherwin Kim’s third save of the

quarter, Mann scored on the counterattack on an assist by Kim. Mann’s

shot from seven meters with 0:02 to play gave the Sea Kings their

comfortable 5-1 lead.

CdM repeated its effort in the second quarter, as Bobby Messenger

scored on the first series to ignite a four-goal period. Jason DiRocco,

Mann and Marcello Pantuliano also scored in the second as Kim finished

with nine saves in two quarters of work.

Mann added two more goals in the third quarter, when CdM increased its

advantage to 11-2.

“Those guys are so big and athletic,” Vargas said of Mann, March and

Dorr, “it’s hard to defend them.”

CIF DIVISION II SEMIFINALS

Corona del Mar 12, Los Alamitos 6

Los Alamitos 1 0 1 4 - 6

Corona del Mar 5 4 2 1 - 12

Los Al - Drake 3, Heydorff 1, Bradley 1, Hylton 1. Saves - Anderson

11.

CdM - Mann 6, Pantuliano 2, March 1, J. DiRocco 1, Messenger 1, Dorr

1. Saves - Kim 9, Stockstill 6.