Making a statement

Bryce Alderton

An active counterattack and timely shooting was just the recipe

the Newport Harbor High boys water polo team used to down highly

regarded Coronado High Saturday night at Newport Harbor High in a

nonleague showdown pitting two of the top programs in Southern

California.

“It’s nice to have a win,” said Newport Coach Jason Lynch,

following his team’s 9-8 victory that looked wrapped up after

freshman driver Clay Jorth took a pass from senior driver Ross

Sinclair and threw the ball into the net with 2:08 left to make it

9-6 Newport.

Two quick goals 46 seconds apart by Coronado co-captain Tommy

Corcoran made it 9-8 with only 12.8 seconds left, but Newport, ranked

No. 5 in CIF Southern Section Division I held on to improve to 1-1.

Coronado (0-1) has won the last two Cal-State tournament championship

titles and has won the San Diego Western League section championship

the last four years.

“At times it looked like we dominated and built up a lead but we

gave it back on some errors,” Lynch said.

“But it’s early and we’re going to make mistakes. That’s why we

practice. Our speed wore them out a little bit and our defense was

pretty good. We played a lot better tonight. If we would have played

as well as we did tonight on Tuesday then we could have won. We

showed effort and intensity throughout the entire game tonight.”

The Sailors lost, 18-9, to Long Beach Wilson, ranked No. 1 in

Division I, Tuesday.

Senior driver Brent Armstrong led the Sailors with four steals,

sparking several scoring chances for junior center Michael Bury

(three goals), Sinclair and Jorth (two goals apiece) with Armstrong

and senior driver Nathan Weiner scoring one goal apiece.

Sophomore goalkeeper Michael Robinson, who made five saves, often

fired passes to Newport sprinters who pelted Coronado goalkeeper

Scott Syverson with shots throughout the contest. Newport outshot

Coronado 31-20.

Nonleague

Coronado 8, Newport 9

Score by Quarters

Coronado 1 1 3

3 - 8

Newport Harbor 1 2

3 3 - 9

Coronado -- Corcoran 4, Jankiewicz 2, Arnold 2. Saves

-- Syverson 10.

Newport Harbor -- Bury 3, Sinclair 2, Jorth 2, Armstrong 1, Weiner

1. Saves -- Robinson 5.

TENNIS: Hippensteel, Silva in finals

In two riveting semifinal matches Saturday, Americans K.J.

Hippensteel and Marc Silva rallied to win against their respective

opponents and will face each other today at noon for the singles

title in the Diadora Pro Championships at Costa Mesa Tennis Center.

Hippensteel, a former Stanford star, defeated third-seeded Zack

Fleishman of the U.S., 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (4), in the first semifinal on

Costa Mesa’s stadium court, then Silva came back to beat Sweden’s

Oskar Johansson, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (3), 6-4.

“The tennis out here (Saturday) was sensational,” said tournament

director Hank Lloyd of the $10,000 United States Tennis Association

Futures Tour event.

In an emotional semifinal between Silva and Johansson, the Swede

came back in the eighth game of the second set, after receiving a

time violation warning by the chair umpire.

Johansson, who walked over to USTA Supervisor James Handly to

complain about the warning, responded with strong serving (including

two aces) to hold after three deuces.

The public is invited to attend the tournament. There is no

charge. Today’s championship doubles match will begin at 11 a.m. with

Prakash Amritraj and Rajeev Ram, both of the U.S., facing Johansson

and James Shortall of New Zealand. Singles will follow the doubles.

-- by Richard Dunn

*

VOLLEYBALL: OCC falls in semifinals

Orange Coast College’s women’s volleyball team dropped a 25-30,

30-17, 15-17 decision to Ventura in the semifinals of the Pasadena

Tournament Saturday. Earlier the Pirates topped Santa Monica in the

quarterfinals, 30-20, 27-30, 15-7, and in pool play, swept Victor

Valley, San Diego Mesa and Bakersfield. Coast’s Melissa Zapian was an

all-tournament choice.

* On the high school girls level: Newport Harbor’s girls

volleyball team dropped an 11-15, 5-15 decision to Mater Dei in the

quarterfinals of the Dave Mohs Memorial Tournament Saturday. Earlier

in the day the Sailors (5-1) defeated Santa Margarita in pool play,

15-6, 15-12, and Capistrano Valley in the first round of the

playoffs, 15-9, 15-7. Kristin McClune had 11 kills in each of those

matches, and Alyson Jennings chipped in with 10 kills against Capo.

In the quarters, Elizabeth Clayton, McClune, Jennings and Emily

Turner each had six kills.

*

COLLEGE SOCCER: VU men win, 3-2

Vanguard Univ’s men’s team was a 3-2 winner over visiting Pacific

Lutheran on the strength of a hat trick by Matt Hess. Vanguard is

3-2.