CdM swims to quarters

Sea Kings pick up the pace in the middle periods to rout a Woodbridge team making its first playoff appearance.NEWPORT BEACH -- Corona del Mar High Coach Barry O’Dea was not happy when his team came out sluggish in the first quarter of Thursday’s CIF Southern Section Division I playoff game against Woodbridge.

After giving his Sea Kings a tongue-lashing between the first and second quarters, they picked up their intensity and swam away with a 13-7 victory in the first round matchup at Corona del Mar High.

Jacob Murphy had a game-high six goals for the Sea Kings, who fell behind, 3-2, after one quarter before O’Dea’s crisp talk.

“He said we needed to get back on defense and that we were rushing getting the ball into two meters with like 20 or 24 seconds left on the shot clock,” Murphy said.

After the speech, Corona del Mar (16-13) began moving more and using its superior counterattack. The Sea Kings went on a 10-2 run in the second and third quarters. Murphy netted four goals in that span -- two on counterattacks and a pair from two meters.

“Murphy stayed within his boundaries. He didn’t try to do too much and he didn’t do too little,” O’Dea said. “He played a complete game. It was one of his best games of the season.”

Tom Money, who had three goals on the day, scored on a counterattack after a steal by Ryan Kent and added a power play goal off a pass from Kent during Corona del Mar’s outburst. The Sea Kings led, 8-4, at halftime and, 12-5, after three quarters.

“Woodbridge came out and they were fired up, they took it to us in the first quarter,” O’Dea said. “We needed to pick up the intensity a bit. Our defense picked it up in the second quarter. I’ve told them from the very beginning -- defense wins championships.”

In the end, it was an easy victory for No. 7-ranked Corona del Mar, despite the fact Woodbridge was 21-4 going into the game and ranked No. 10 in Division I.

“We played great team defense, we worked the ball around and we were patient,” Murphy said. “Woodbridge has a great record, we didn’t take them lightly.”

It marked the first CIF playoff appearance ever for Woodbridge.

With a swarming defense, a quick counterattack and plenty of punch from an offense led by Murphy and Money, the Sea Kings seem to be hitting on all cylinders at the right time.

“I think we are playing our best water polo right now,” O’Dea said. “The players know each other well in the water right now, and that turns into scoring opportunities and better communication.”

“I think we’re peaking,” Murphy said. “I don’t want to jinx it -- we’ve had a roller coaster of a season -- but I think we’re heading toward a climax.”

Corona del Mar will take on No. 2-ranked Harvard-Westlake, which beat Long Beach Poly in the first round, in the quarterfinals Tuesday. The Sea Kings beat the Wolverines early in the season.

“I think both teams have gotten better since then,” O’Dea said. “It should be a great game.”

“We killed them early this season without Tyler Kent,” Murphy said. “If we play like we did today and counterattack early, we should be able to beat them.”

CIF Southern Section Division I

First round

Corona del Mar 13, Woodbridge 7 Score by Quarters