Mustangs lose grip on league crown

Last year the Costa Mesa High boys water polo team swiped the Golden

West League crown away from Saddleback. Tuesday, Saddleback probably

took it right back. It’s too early for Saddleback (10-5, 4-0) to

claim the league title as its own, but the team took a huge dive in

the right direction with a 13-8 victory over visiting Costa Mesa

(12-5, 2-1).

“October 11 has been circled on my calendar since I got the

schedule,” Saddleback Coach Monte McCord said. “We know Costa Mesa is

our main competition in league. We always feel whoever wins this game

is in the driver’s seat.”

Saddleback came out looking to contain Costa Mesa star Kyle

Thorsness and succeeded. The Roadrunners held Thorsness to one goal.

The senior utility player scored from the 2 meter slot in the first

quarter, then was consistently double- and triple-teamed the rest of

the game.

Costa Mesa stayed close in the first half, pulling to within 6-5

on a goal from the perimeter by Sam Edman. But Saddleback went on a

4-0 run from the end of the second quarter to early in the fourth

quarter to take an 11-6 lead.

Five different players scored for Saddleback, including Erik

Ramirez (four goals), Josh Garcia (three goals) and Christian Roman

(three goals). Christian Colchado, playing with a sore wrist, added

two goals.

Costa Mesa goalie Scott Neslage, facing more than 30 shots, came

up with 15 saves.

“Our goalie kept us in the game for as long as we were in it,”

Costa Mesa Coach Tim Postiff said.

Postiff said his squad seemed lacking in the intensity department

compared to Saddleback.

“Monte does a good job getting his team up for big games,” he

said.

Junior John Roche led the Mustangs with four goals, including two

in the fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late. Edman added

two goals for the Mustangs.

Costa Mesa felt coming into the game that a loss would mean giving

up the league title. Now the team is trying to keep its head above

water.

Golden West League

Saddleback 13, Costa Mesa 8 Score by Quarters

*--*

Saddleback 4 3 3 3 -- 13

Costa Mesa 3 2 1 2 -- 8

*--*

Costa Mesa -- Roche 4, Edman 2, Thorsness 1, N. Fisk 1. Saves --

Neslage 15.

Saddleback -- Ramirez 4, Garcia 3, Roman 3, Colchado 2, Gonzalez

1. Saves -- Jimenez 9.