Third time is another charm for Corona del Mar

Sea Kings’ girls’ water polo team beats Foothill to win Tournament of Champions. Newport Harbor finishes fourth.SANTA BARBARA -- Corona del Mar’s girls’ water polo team got its third look at Foothill in the last three weeks. Once again, the Sea Kings liked what they saw.

The Sea Kings scored three times in the second period and upended the Knights, 5-2, in the championship game of the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions.

It was their second win against Foothill in three tries this season, after having never beaten the Knights prior to this season.

The first also came in a tournament -- a 5-4 win in the semifinals of the Newport Harbor-Corona del Mar Holiday Cup on Dec. 30. Foothill won the first rematch, 4-3, on Jan. 6.

Elsewhere at the Tournament of Champions, Newport Harbor finished fourth after losing to Santa Margarita in the third-place match, 8-6.

After two close matches against Foothill, the Sea Kings (12-2) -- ranked No. 1 in CIF Southern Section Division II -- made it look relatively easy on Saturday. After the Knights took a 1-0 lead after the first period, Corona del Mar scored three times in the second period and tacked on two more in the third to take command.

Camille Hewko was held scoreless in the final, but Taylor Harkins picked up the slack. Harkins scored three times to propel the Sea Kings. Cari Levine and Sarah Hutchison also scored for Corona del Mar.

Tumua Anae was solid in net for the Sea Kings, recording nine saves against Foothill, including one on a four-meter shot by Grace Reynolds.

Reynolds and Kelsey Holshouser -- Foothill’s senior leaders -- were largely held in check by Corona del Mar. Holshouser didn’t score and Reynolds managed one goal.

Corona del Mar set up its rematch with Foothill with a convincing 7-2 victory over Santa Margarita. Katie Indvik and Ashley Chandler each scored two goals in the win as the Sea Kings took a 2-0 lead after the first period and didn’t look back.

Anae had another stellar match, making 14 saves in the semifinal.

Newport Harbor -- the No. 2 team in Division I behind Foothill -- was on track to get its own rematch with the Sea Kings, but came up short twice against the Knights and Santa Margarita.

The Sailors got an early look at Foothill -- which they face in Sea View League play Wednesday -- in the tournament semifinals and lost, 4-3.

After falling behind, 2-1, in the third period, Newport Harbor (13-3) came back to score twice and take a one-goal lead. But Foothill rallied one last time, going ahead on Reynolds’ third goal of the game with less than a minute remaining.

Kally Lucas led the Sailors with two goals, two steals and an assist in the semifinals. Elizabeth Layton helped keep the Tars in it by making 10 saves in goal.

The malaise after losing to Foothill seemed to carry over into the third-place match, as Santa Margarita took a 4-0 lead after two periods.

Newport Harbor bounced back, scoring four times in the third period, and went into the final period trailing, 5-4.

The momentum didn’t last, however, as the Eagles pulled way in the final seven minutes to claim victory.

Lucas and Marisa Cottam each scored twice against Santa Margarita. Katie Kepner had a goal and three assists.

Layton made eight saves in goal.

The Eagles’ Brooke Figge helped do in the Sailors in the semifinals, scoring three times. Stephanie Lavayen and Megan Silver added two goals apiece for Santa Margarita.

Newport Harbor advanced to the semifinals with a late 10-6 victory over Whittier on Friday night. Sarah Roberts led the Sailors with three goals and an assist. Cottam and Leah Robertson each had two goals and two assists.

Neither the Sea Kings nor the Sailors will get much time to reflect on their finishes at the Tournament of Champions, not with key matches looming this week for both.

Corona del Mar has a pair of matches in the week to come -- Tuesday at Tesoro in Pacific Coast League play and a Saturday rematch with Santa Margarita at home.

Newport Harbor has its aforementioned league game at home against Foothill on Wednesday.

The Sailors also travel to Belmont Plaza on Friday for a nonleague matchup with Long Beach Wilson, ranked No. 7 in CIF Division I.

Santa Barbara

Tournament of Champions

Championship game

Corona del Mar 5, Foothill 2

Score by Quarters