Newport Harbor sinks two foes
Bryce Alderton
The two-day Gray Lunde Memorial Invitational Water Polo Tournament
gives the Newport Harbor High boys frosh-soph water polo team a
chance to come together as a team as uttered by Les Cutler, Newport’s
coach for the tournament.
And Newport came together, to a tune of 9-3 victories in both of
its first two games of the Gray Lunde Memorial Invitational Water
Polo Tournament that honors the memory of the 14-year-old Lunde, a
budding water polo player for Newport who died of heart failure at
poolside in 1995.
The Sailors, 14-5, posted 9-3 wins over Capistrano Valley in the
opener Friday at Newport Harbor High and then against Fountain
Valley.
The Sailors scored steadily in both games, getting four goals from
Telford Cottom, two from Carson Hill and one each from Brett Auer,
Kyle Sherman and Eric Carlson against Fountain Valley.
Newport’s goals against Fountain Valley came in a variety of ways.
Hill scored one of his goals on a rebound after Auer’s shot hit
the top of the post and Trevor Armstrong and Cottom swam stride for
stride in the beginning of the fourth period. Armstrong tossed a pass
to Cottom, who one-timed the ball into the net for Newport’s final
goal.
One of Newport’s stronger defensive plays came when Drew Fabian
intercepted a pass at midpool and drove to score the Sailors’ seventh
goal with 1:46 left in the first half.
Newport goalie Darren Furman made seven saves, one blocking a shot
with both arms outstretched when Capo Valley had a six-on-five in the
fourth period.
The Sailors took an 8-1 lead into halftime and then Cutler
inserted reserves for the second half.
But the damage had already been done.
The Sailors play at 10:30 a.m. today at Newport Harbor -- if they
lose they play for third place at 1 p.m.; win and they play for the
championship at 1:50 p.m.
All the latest on Orange County from Orange County.
Get our free TimesOC newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Daily Pilot.