Girls water polo: Back Bay clash today in Tars’ pool

Richard Dunn

NEWPORT BEACH - While the Newport Harbor and Corona del Mar high

school girls water polo teams could meet again this season in either of

three tournaments in which both schools are scheduled to play, today’s

nonleague game in the Sailors’ pool features a uniquely proportionate

postseason picture.

“Let’s just say it’s a pre-CIF (Southern Section) playoff game,” said

Newport Harbor Coach Bill Barnett, whose team has dominated four

opponents this season, including a 12-8 victory over perennial power Long

Beach Wilson (a team CdM defeated 10-8) in the season opener Dec. 7.

Both teams are 4-0 and ranked by The Times in the Southern California

region top-10 poll.

“To beat (the Sailors) requires a total team effort from us, where

people are basically having to help other people on defense,” first-year

CdM Coach Aaron Chaney said. “It’s not just playing one-on-one. If we

play one-on-one, there’s no way we can beat them.”

UCLA-bound senior Katherine Belden, a three-time All-CIF Division I

selection and the returning Sea View League Player of the Year, is one of

Newport Harbor’s weapons, which also includes sophomore Jessica Ball,

senior Amber Braly and juniors Jenna Murphy, Annie Wight and Paige

Lansing.

In Newport Harbor’s most recent victory (13-1 over University), Ball

led Newport Harbor with three steals and three goals, while Wight, junior

Ashley Parole and Braly each had two steals. Senior goalkeeper Leah

Grocki had nine saves and two assists in the win.

Corona del Mar counters with juniors Brittney Bowlus, Danielle

Carlson, Daniela DiGiacomo and Christina Hewko (team-high 14 goals),

while seniors Alexa Miller and Jessica Fries fill out Chaney’s starting

lineup.

“I think we match up well with (the Tars). I’m looking forward to the

game. I think it’ll be a great game,” said Chaney, whose team has

victories over Peninsula, El Modena, Arlington of Riverside and Wilson.

Senior Jessica Wells is the CdM goalie.

“It’s my first Newport-Corona game,” Chaney said. “The girls are

telling me how well they know those (Newport) girls, because they all

played together in the junior program and traveled to Hawaii together.

They’re all friends.”