Jorth scores six on Bruins

NEWPORT BEACH — A team’s best player is supposed to show up in the clutch. When the spotlight is on him, he needs to perform. Apparently that was the case for Newport Harbor High’s Clinton Jorth.

In a game that was decided in the fourth quarter, Jorth scored three of the Sailor’s six unanswered goals to beat Long Beach Wilson 11-4 and showed why his coach calls him the best player on the boys’ water polo team.

He backed that up with six goals, three coming on penalty shots.

Only 55 seconds into the match, the Sailors took the lead with a penalty shot goal by Jorth.

Newport Harbor’s tough and physical style of defense also dominated the match, keeping Long Beach scoreless in the first half. That helped the Sailors lead, 5-0.

But if there was ever a point when the Sailors looked vulnerable, it was in the third quarter when the Bruins scored all four of their goals and shut out Newport Harbor cutting the Sailors’ lead to 5-4.

But that is all the excitement that the visiting team showed.

The Sailors, ranked No. 2 in CIF Southern Section Division I, displayed accuracy, scoring six goals on eight shots in the fourth quarter and kept Long Beach scoreless yet again.

Newport’s Brandon Parole, Colin McKibbin and Rush Stevens each had a goal in the fourth.

Harbor Coach Jason Lynch said that his defense was the key to the win and that the Sailors are trying to be more efficient on offense.

“There is a marked focus on defense which then leads to our counterattack,” Lynch said. “We were six of eight the last quarter which is really excellent, but the first half we were five for 13. We want to be as close to 50% as we can.”

For statistics on this game, see High School Roundup on page A10.