Survival day

Steve Virgen

Recently, college football games were tabbed, “Survival Saturday,” by

ESPN. The same could be said for local high schools that will be

competing in the CIF Southern Section playoffs today.

Corona del Mar, Newport Harbor, Estancia and Sage Hill teams know

the bottom line: win or go home. In addition to the competition,

there will be various stories developing within each sport and

division.

In boys water polo, the Newport Harbor Sailors (17-10) will be

seeking revenge at El Toro at 11:30 a.m., in a quarterfinal matchup

of CIF Division I. The Chargers (22-6), the South Coast League

champions, won the coin flip to have the home pool advantage. Last

year, El Toro defeated Newport, 9-8, in a quarterfinal game.

Also in Division I, CdM (8-18) will be the underdog when hosting

top-seeded Harvard-Westlake (24-2) at 3:15 p.m. If the Sea Kings and

Sailors win they would face each other in a Back Bay rivalry matchup

Wednesday at an alternate site.

There also could be a Back Bay showdown in girls tennis, Division

I, where Newport and CdM are on course to meet in the semifinals

Thursday. But first things first, Newport (13-8) won the coin toss to

host its second-round game against Harvard-Westlake (12-6) at 2 p.m.

Corona (13-4), lost the coin flip and will play at San Clemente

(16-3) at 11 a.m.

The Back Bay schools will also be competing in girls volleyball,

but in separate divisions. In a Division II-AA quarterfinal match,

Newport Harbor (22-5) will have its first road match of the playoffs,

traveling to Placentia to face El Dorado (11-7) at 7 p.m.

CdM (19-8) won the coin toss and will host Santa Ynez (15-4) in

Division III-A action at 7 p.m.

In girls tennis, Division V, Sage Hill and Estancia won their

respective coin flips and will be hosting their second-round games.

Estancia, the Golden West League champion, will host Linfield

Christian at 11 a.m., while Sage Hill, champion of the Academy

League, faces visiting Silverado at 2 p.m.