Foothill reigns, 8-7

Bryce Alderton

Parents, coaches and friends stood five feet apart along the

concrete next to the pool at Newport Harbor High holding out their

arms for handshakes and hugs.

The congratulatory folks made a walkway for the Newport Harbor

High girls water polo players as they exited the pool following a

game that pitted two successful programs and a contest fit for the

championship. Newport (5-2) tied Foothill three times in the third

quarter, but the Knights (7-0) scored the only fourth-period goal and

held off the Sailors, 8-7, to win the Newport Harbor-Corona del Mar

Holiday Cup.

Newport is ranked No. 2 in CIF Southern Section Division I while

the Knights occupy the top spot in the same circuit.

“I’m pleased we stayed with them,” said Newport Coach Bill

Barnett. “Going in I thought it was going to be a tight game but they

played better defense.”

The defense Barnett spoke of was evident on Newport’s final

possession with a chance to tie.

With 15 seconds to go Foothill senior Gabbie Domanic, a member of

the U.S. senior national team, reached up with her left hand to

intercept a Sailor entry pass and flung the ball near mid-pool as

time ran out.

“We tried to get the ball to one side and shift over to the other,

but we just threw the ball away,” Barnett said.

Newport had its chances in the fourth quarter. Senior Jenna

Murphy, a first-team All-CIF Division I selection last year and UCLA

bound, made two steals 40 seconds apart to start Sailor breaks in the

period but Newport wasn’t able to capitalize. The U.S. national youth

team member scored three goals and had two assists.

She scored her second goal on a four-meter penalty shot to tie the

Knights, 4-4, after drawing an ejection with 5:08 to go in the third

quarter.

Foothill didn’t let the lead last long. Freshman Grace Reynolds

tossed the ball to Domanic at five meters and the senior driver spun

around to put Foothill back on top six seconds after Murphy’s goal.

Dominic finished with two goals and teammate Brittany Hayes led the

Knights with three scores.

Newport senior Raelyn Ritchie did it on both ends to set up her

one goal that tied the score, 5-5, with 4:10 left in the third. She

blocked a Knight entry pass to start an attack that ended with Murphy

passing to Ritchie for the goal.

Foothill, who defeated Newport in the semifinals of the CIF

Division I Playoffs last season en route to their second straight

championship, had its biggest lead at halftime, a 4-2 cushion, before

eight goals (five by Newport) were scored in the third period.

Senior Jessica Ball scored her only goal on a six-on-five off a

cross from Murphy with just under six minutes to go in the third.

Newport’s Paige Lansing tallied two goals and sophomore Anne

Belden made one assist.

Newport defeated Santa Margarita in the semifinals earlier on

Saturday, 10-8.

Newport Harbor-Corona del Mar

Holiday Cup

Championship

Foothill 8, Newport Harbor 7

Score by Quarters

Newport 1 1 5 0

-- 7

Foothill 2 2 3 1

-- 8

Newport Harbor -- Murphy 3, Lansing 2, Ball 1, Ritchie

1. Saves -- Cottam, 1.

Foothill -- Hayes 3, Domanic 2, Miller 2, Kraus 1. Saves

-- Feher 5.