Robertson aided in Sailors’ success

Chris Yemma

On a team that’s a CIF Southern Section Division I title contender

year after year, younger players usually have to wait until they’re

seniors to step into the spotlight.

Newport Harbor High girls water polo junior Leah Robertson,

playing a secondary role this season, will be in that role next year.

But that doesn’t mean she didn’t make contributions this year to

help the Sailors reach the CIF championship game.

“She was extremely important to the team,” Newport Coach Bill

Barnett said. “She played two positions when other two girls were out

or tired. She’s got tremendous talent and great genes.”

The Sailors lost in the CIF title game to Sea View League rival

Foothill, but Robertson helped Newport jump on the inside track to a

second straight league title weeks earlier against the same foe.

In fact, the Jan. 12 win over Foothill may have provided a glimpse

into what next season holds for Newport. With senior standouts

Ashling Taylor, Anne Belden and Melissa Wheeler out for the final

minutes in overtime with fouls and an injury, Robertson and junior

Kally Lucas scored 36 seconds apart to help give the Sailors a 10-8

victory.

It was a breakout game for Robertson, Barnett said, with one of

her two goals making the Newport highlight reel.

“We call it the SportsCenter goal,” said Barnett, referring to the

ESPN show. “It would have made it if ESPN was ever interested in high

school water polo.”

Robertson, in the two-meter position, received the pass, turned

her defender all the way around and fired a back-handed shot in, all

while she was underwater. The underwater part being why Barnett calls

it something out of SportsCenter, Robertson said.

“It was kind of funny that I made it because I was so far

underwater, and so guarded,” Robertson said.

And just the mere importance of the game toward Newport winning a

league championship, was what made the shot so crucial, Barnett said.

Robertson had another breakout performance against Montebello in

the CIF semifinals a little more recently. She scored three goals,

won three sprints and drew two exclusions to help lead the Sailors

past the Oilers, 12-7, and on to the championship game.

Robertson’s genes are a big reason for her water polo success. Her

father, Gary, a 1972 graduate of Newport Harbor, played polo under

Barnett and later went on to play for USC. She gets her speed from

her father.

“I think my speed -- I’ve been swimming since I can remember -- is

a huge part of my game,” said Robertson, who describes herself as the

fastest swimmer on the team. “My size (5-foot-9, 150 pounds) helps a

lot also. Some of our other players are a lot smaller and Coach

[Barnett] says bigger players are more successful.”

Robertson and Lucas are expected to lead the Sailors next season.