Newport seeks smooth blend

Steve Virgen

To have a chance to win the Sea View League championship, the Newport

Harbor High girls water polo team will be in search of a certain

something that is very important to Coach Bill Barnett.

It’s called team chemistry.

That won’t be hard to develop, Barnett said, though it’s fair to

say that his team is new.

“The main group last year had been playing together since they

were freshmen,” Barnett said. “We have a more diverse group in terms

of juniors, seniors and sophomores.

“With girls [water polo] I think [team chemistry is] really

important,” Barnett said. “But the girls have played so much together

during the summer and spring I don’t think that is any problem.”

Barnett said about the only problem he has noticed thus far with

Sailors is the lack of defense. On offense, however, Newport should

have little problem scoring, particularly at two meters, where

seniors Jessica Ball and Carolyn Conway, as well as junior Ashling

Taylor, plan to reign.

Ball, who has signed with the University of Michigan, earned

second-team All-CIF Southern Section Division I honors last year and

will be a team co-captain, along with senior Sarah Mutt, known for

her solid defense. Conway, bound for Indiana, and Taylor will use

their strength to be among Newport’s top offensive options.

“She’s very aggressive,” Barnett said of Ball. “She may not be as

big as the other two [Taylor and Conway], but she’s extremely quick

and knows how to pick out mismatches.”

Junior Anne Belden, a returning starter, will be very important in

Newport’s counterattack, Barnett said. Ball and junior Melissa

Wheeler also figure to be depended on in the counterattack because of

their speed.

Leah Robertson and Kally Lucas are two sophomores expected to add

balance, while Taylor and Wheeler will be counted on as well.

Seniors Kim Housepian and Terin Cottam will be competing for

goalie duties, but the battle has been healthy and Newport players

appear to be building toward their goal of possessing team chemistry.

That is essential since the Sailors want to win the Sea View League

title.

Last year, they reached the CIF Division I semifinals and finished

24-6 record.

“What I like about the team is that we are all getting along well

and everyone is trying hard and everyone is focusing hard,” Ball

said. “Everyone is respectful. They like to play for the fun of it,

not to just get their names in the paper. They all like to have fun

playing the sport.”

Foothill, which won the Sea View League and CIF Division I titles

in an unbeaten season last year, is expected to be the favorite for

the league championship. The Knights will also be a bit “new,” but

strong nonetheless.

“We’ll see, if we can hang with them,” Barnett said. “This team

has good potential. It has all the right ingredients to be a

well-balanced team: size, speed, two-meter ability. I’m concerned

about the defense, but we’ll see.”

Barnett is pleased the Sailors will be working in their comfort

zone, as they have been training in the school’s renovated pool since

Dec. 6. Newport will host its first game since the renovation, that

was roughly $1 million, Friday when the Sailors face Back Bay rival

Corona del Mar.

Newport opened the season Wednesday with a 16-3 romp over

Esperanza.