CdM’s Murphy makes most of opportunity

athlete of weekAs Murphy has improved at the two-meter position, Corona del Mar has improved as a team.Jacob Murphy wasn’t planning on being the primary two-meter man for the Corona del Mar High boys’ water polo team this season. But when the team was in need, Murphy grudgingly gave it a shot.

“I’m not really a two-meter man. I kind of became one by default, because we don’t really have one,” said the 6-foot-3, 185-pound Murphy.

At first, Murphy struggled to learn the position, and the team got off to a 4-6 start.

Then he slowly progressed. Murphy’s development coincided with the team’s improvement.

“At the beginning of the season, I was reluctant to go to two meters,” Murphy said. “I think that’s part of the reason why we struggled. But as the season progressed, I kept working on it, and I’ve gotten pretty good.”

Corona del Mar (17-13) has gotten pretty good as well. The Sea Kings won the Pacific Coast League, then stormed into the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs -- defeating Woodbridge in the first round and Harvard-Westlake in the quarterfinals to advance to Friday’s semifinals.

In last week’s 13-7 victory over Woodbridge, Murphy had a game-high six goals.

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

The game highlighted Murphy’s ascent to being a premier player. He took a recruiting trip to UCLA on Tuesday night. He is also interested in Cal and following in the footsteps of Corona del Mar’s two-meter man last year, Thomas Pearson.

“He’s a solid, well-rounded kid. He brings leadership, intensity and emotion,” O’Dea said. “He plays hard. He’s a big kid so he draws a lot of attention. He does a lot to open things up for other players.”

Murphy honed his game last summer, playing in Greece for his Long Beach Shore club team.

“I think I gained a lot more knowledge,” he said. “I tried to play as much water polo as I could last summer. I think that’s the best way to get better.”

He made first-year coach O’Dea take notice.

“He’s one of the best guys I’ve ever coached,” O’Dea said. “He has a positive attitude and he never gets down. Jacob has given me all he has this year.”

Murphy and Corona del Mar have gone through some tough times this season, but they make the good times that much more enjoyable.

“It’s been a rough year,” Murphy said. “We were down in the middle of the season -- I think we were trying to do too much. But we just kept working -- I mean, no one likes to lose. It’s been a roller coaster ride, but I think every team goes through the ups and downs. I just try to stay positive. You’ll go through dry spells. You just keep working hard.”200511193T1L4JQ7No Caption20051119iq6etgknWENDI KAMINSKI / DAILY PILOT(LA)