Polo stars honored

all-americanpoloFive local standouts, including Newport Harbor’s Clay Jorth, make the California-Hawaii All-America team.The accolades keep pouring in for the Newport Mesa area’s boys’ water polo stars.

After Newport Harbor High reached the CIF Southern Section Division I championship game and Corona del Mar advanced to the Division I semifinals, top players from both squads were named to the 2005 California-Hawaii All-American teams by a panel of water polo coaches from the two states.

Newport Harbor’s Clay Jorth was a first-team California-Hawaii All-American selection. Jorth, the Daily Pilot’s Boys’ Water Polo Player of the Year, played for Team USA in the Junior World Championships in October. Despite missing a portion of the high school season while playing for Team USA, Jorth led the Sailors in assists and netted 48 goals. Jorth was an All-CIF Division I first-team selection.

Corona del Mar’s Tom Money, who emerged as one of the best drivers in Orange County and was a first-team All-CIF Division I selection, made the California-Hawaii All-America second team.

Newport Harbor’s Brett Auer, who led the team with 72 goals and was an All-Division I first-team selection, made the third team. Newport Harbor’s Telford Cottam and Corona del Mar’s Jacob Murphy were fifth-team picks.

The 2005 Boys’ All-Southern California Water Polo Team was also picked. Jorth was a first-team selection, Money and Auer were second-team picks, and Murphy and Cottam made the third team. Corona del Mar’s Kyle Hersh and Newport Harbor’s Bryce McLain were picked to the sixth team.

The teams were compiled from the All-CIF teams from the Southern Section, Northern California and San Diego, plus the all-state team from Hawaii.