Locals win bronze

SAN JOSE — The boys of Club Split OC, a water polo club team, recently won two bronze medals in the Junior Olympics in San Jose.

Club Split’s 14-and-under team defeated Los Alamitos 13-8 to secure the bronze in their division. The 14s beat teams from Walnut Creek, Sacramento, Carlsbad, and San Diego in the tournament last month.

Newport Beach residents Charlie Howarth, Daniel Stevens, Jon Walters, and Ben Zepfel played on the team.

The 12-and-under team scored the bronze by beating Capistrano Valley 16-12, after defeating teams from Orinda, San Diego and Ventura.

The 12-and-under team included Newport-Mesa area boys Neil LaVecke, Joseph Limon, Jay Neiger, Garrett Spruth, and James Walters.

Among the older boys, Club Split’s 18-and-under team edged Clovis in a shootout, 8-7, to finish 13th out of a field of 48 clubs.

The team included Chris Cottrell, Brian Schiefer and Evan Zepfel. The trio also play on the Corona del Mar High boys’ team.

— From staff reports