New faces, same old goals

Corona del Mar High boys’ water polo coach Barry O’Dea said he wanted his team to find an identity.

After the Sea Kings spent part of their summer in New Zealand and Australia and went 9-1 in the Pan-Pacific Games, he said he thinks Corona del Mar has one.

“Everybody saw that we graduated a lot of guys,” said O’Dea, entering his second year guiding the Sea Kings. “But we have another solid group of seniors coming up behind them. We’re reloading, rather than rebuilding.”

Last year, the Sea Kings finished 17-4, won the Pacific Coast League and reached the CIF Southern Section Division I semifinals for the second straight year before falling to Back Bay rival Newport Harbor, 13-12.

Corona del Mar was led by senior driver Tom Money and senior two-meter man Jacob Murphy, who are now at USC and UCLA, respectively.

This year, O’Dea said he expects senior driver Mike Berry, a left-hander, to be a force.

“He’s a three-year varsity guy,” O’Dea said. “He’ll be a catalyst for what we’re trying to do. How he plays is how we’re going to go.”

Berry is one of two returning starters, along with utility player Ryan Kent, also a senior.

Kent ended last year strong, scoring three goals in CdM’s 11-8 quarterfinal playoff win over Harvard-Westlake.

Senior Greg Sanford will play at two meters, with fellow seniors Ryan Hultman, R.J. Baldoni and Nick Jones also expected to be leading contributors this season.

“Jones should be good,” O’Dea said. “He got a lot of time at the end of last year.”

Brian Peotter, also a senior but in his first year on varsity, will be the team’s goalie.

“He’s 6-foot-6, so he’s a big boy,” O’Dea said. “He learned an awful lot this summer in New Zealand.”

O’Dea said he also looks for senior drivers Patrick Rolfes and Omar Mobarek to get plenty of playing time, as well as senior two-meter player Mark Haskell.

Junior drivers Timmy Rolfes, Evan Zepfel and Chris Cottrell provide depth for the Sea Kings, as does junior two-meter player Jake Schwartz.

Travis Leyton, a junior, will back up Peotter in goal.

“We’ve got a lot of guys,” O’Dea said. “We’re a little deeper than we were last year. I don’t know if we’re as good, but we’ll do well in the Pacific Coast League.”

However, he added that he thinks that league foes University, Irvine and Laguna Hills have all gotten better.

“It’s high school water polo,” he said. “Anybody can step up at any time.”

Corona del Mar meets Back Bay rival Newport Harbor in a scrimmage Sept. 9, then opens its regular season Sept. 13 at Harvard-Westlake.

For the first time in years, Corona del Mar will also play Newport Harbor in a regular-season game, scheduled for Oct. 21 at CdM.

“That hasn’t happened in a really long time,” O’Dea said. “We’re right there, so we might as well play.”

THE SEA KINGS

R.J. Baldoni Sr.

Mike Berry Sr.

Chris Cottrell Jr.

Mark Haskell Sr.

Ryan Hultman Sr.

Nick Jones Sr.

Ryan Kent Sr.

Travis Leyton Jr.

Omar Mobarek Sr.

Brian Peotter Sr.

Patrick Rolfes Sr.

Timmy Rolfes Jr.

Greg Sanford Sr.

Jake Schwartz Jr.

Evan Zepfel Jr.

Coach: Barry O’Dea

(second year)