Newport Harbor runs out of time

Steve Virgen

With a loss sometimes comes questioning and regret. That’s what

seemed to result for the Newport Harbor High boys water polo team

after suffering a 13-10 overtime loss to nonleague visitor The

Bishop’s on Saturday at Corona del Mar High.

Why didn’t the Knights have any ejections after four quarters and

two overtime periods? What if the Sailors were at full strength (two

starters missed the game because of ACT testing)? What if sophomore

Clay Jorth, one of Newport’s top players, had not picked up his third

ejection with 40 seconds left in the third quarter?

Newport Harbor Coach Jason Lynch and Bishop’s Coach Jim Fales had

some answers. Lynch said he saw more than one instance when a

Knights’ player should have been ejected. Fales explained that his

defense was usually sagging off the offensive player to help guard

Newport senior two-meter man Michael Bury.

“I can’t explain it,” Lynch said of his team’s inability to draw

any power-play opportunities. “I thought we earned some especially on

the transition when players were being pulled back. A high school kid

is not capable of playing that good of defense, when he could never

be ejected not one time. You watch the U.S. men’s water polo team and

those are the best players in the world and they get ejected. It’s

unfathomable. I won’t comment on the referees. It’s not worth it.”

The Bishop’s drew seven ejections and went 5 for 7 on extra-man

opportunities. Fales said he was surprised to see that his team did

not have any ejections. That has never happened for the Knights this

season.

“But we don’t usually use that drop defense,” Fales said. “You

have to respect their two-meter play, [Bury is] much stronger than

us. We knew that coming in.”

Bury, who recorded four steals, led the Sailors (11-8) with four

goals.

His fourth goal, in which he showed power as he muscled off a

defender, came with 32 seconds left, tying the game at 10 and sending

it into the two three-minute overtime periods.

However, the Knights outscored Newport, 3-0 in overtime, gaining

two goals in the first OT to grab control.

Senior Andrew Belden stepped up with two goals, both in the fourth

quarter, while Griffin Gentry, Morgan Laidlaw, Brett Auer and Carson

Hill added one goal each for the Sailors. Tyler Jemmett led the

Knights (22-4), ranked No. 2 in CIF San Diego Section Division II,

with five goals.

“It’s always nice to come up here and get a win,” Fales said. “The

heart and soul of water polo is still in Orange County. We know that

and Coronado (ranked No. 1 in the Knight’s division) knows that. To

come up here and get a win against a quality team, bodes well for us,

going into our game against Coronado on Tuesday.”

The Sailors also have a big game Tuesday. They play at El Toro at

3:15 p.m.

Lynch said he has to decide if he should bench the two players who

missed the game Saturday because of the ACT test, a college admission

exam that can also be administered in December, February, April and

June.

“It’s been an extremely self-centered, selfish day,” Lynch said.

“There’s nothing we can do. We have to shake things off. We have a

huge game at El Toro on Tuesday.”

The Sailors, ranked No. 5 in CIF Southern Section Division I, were

able to contend with the Knights, but Lynch did acknowledge the loss

of the two starters did hurt the team.

*--*

Nonleague

The Bishop’s 13, Newport Harbor 10, OT

Score by Periods

Bishop’s 2 4 2 2 2 1 -- 13

Newport 2 3 2 3 0 0 -- 10

The Bishop’s -- Jemmett 5, Clendenn 2,

Sardo 2, Fuene de Colombi 1, May 1,

Davidson 1, Diggs 1. Saves -- Neils 7.

Newport -- Bury 4, Belden 2, Gentry 1,

Laidlaw 1, Bre. Auer 1, Hill 1. Saves --

Robinson 9.

*--*