Sea Kings romp

Richard Dunn

Considering this is his first trip as head coach to the CIF

Southern Section boys water polo playoffs, Corona del Mar High’s Tim

Salvino isn’t taking any opponent for granted, even if his

high-flying Sea Kings are seeded second in Division I and faced a

team with a losing record in the first round Thursday.

“I’m one of those weird coaches like Lou Holtz who are always

predicting tough games no matter who it is,” said Salvino, following

Corona del Mar’s 18-2 victory over Long Beach Poly in the winners’

pool, in which the Sea Kings won their 20th game of the season in 27

contests, and will face Foothill in the quarterfinals Saturday. A

coin flip today at the CIF Southern Section office will determine the

home team.

“We’re right on track,” added Salvino, whose team outscored the

Jackrabbits, 5-0, in the first quarter, then pulled away with a 12-1

halftime lead as senior standout John Mann scored all five of his

goals to lead the hosts.

Corona del Mar, seeded behind undefeated Long Beach Wilson, earned

its No. 2 seed after beating Harvard-Westlake two weeks ago in the

Northern California Tournament. The teams would meet in the

semifinals if both advance.

“I told the guys that the new season started (Wednesday),” said

Salvino, whose team is 3-0 against Foothill this year, including an

overtime win in the first meeting.

And, even though the Sea Kings are 0-3 against Wilson this season,

Salvino wouldn’t mind facing the Bruins in the CIF Finals at Belmont

Plaza.

“One year (1985), Sunny Hills was undefeated going into the finals

and Corona del Mar beat them, and then the next year Corona del Mar

was undefeated going into the finals and Sunny Hills beat them, so if

I was Wilson I wouldn’t want to be undefeated going into the finals,”

Salvino said. “That would be great if we met Wilson in the finals.

I’d love to play them in the finals.”

The Pacific Coast League champion Sea Kings opened against Poly

(8-18) with two early goals by Mann, then a goal by John Money with

3:50 left in the first quarter. Mann scored two more goals in the

period as CdM built a comfortable lead.

CdM’s Jason DiRocco (four goals) scored on a tap-in shot 57

seconds into the second quarter on a pass from Artie Dorr, then Dorr

scored in the lower-right corner during a man advantage on a feed

from Mann with 5:20 to play in the first half. Dorr scored again on a

counterattack at 3:40 to give CdM an 8-0 edge.

Poly, the third-place team from the Moore League, scored its first

goal with 2:53 left, then CdM added four goals before halftime -- two

by Griffin Gentry. CdM’s starters went poolside after Mann scored to

give his team a 10-1 lead with 1:57 remaining.

In the third quarter, DiRocco scored all three CdM goals -- once

from two-meter set and twice on the counterattack on passes from Ryan

Moore and David DiRocco.

Gentry scored twice in the fourth quarter and Nadim Hakim added a

late goal for the winners.

Dan Niehenke also scored for CdM. Sea King goalies Beau Stockstill

(three saves) and Tyler Brundage (seven) shut out the Jackrabbits in

two of the quarters.

CIF DIVISION I PLAYOFFS

First Round

Corona del Mar 18, Long Beach Poly 2

Long Beach Poly 0 1 1

0 - 2

Corona del Mar 5 7 3

3 -- 18

Poly -- Williams 1, Buchfuhrer 1. Saves -- Dunn 6.

CdM -- Mann 5, Gentry 4, J. DiRocco 4, Dorr 2, Hakim 1,

Niehenke 1, Money 1. Saves -- Stockstill 3, Brundage 7.