Sailors advance for Schurr

NEWPORT BEACH — Top-seeded Newport Harbor High’s 14-3 victory over visiting Schurr in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division I girls’ water polo playoffs Wednesday was more an exercise in self-restraint than an actual workout.

The Sailors (26-3), seized a 7-0 lead in the first four minutes, before Coach Bill Barnett began the now-familiar process of reigning in his talented Tars.

First, the Sailors shut down their explosive counterattack, then they dialed down their defensive intensity. Finally, free-flowing substitutions began in the first period as the game shifted into a gear more palatable to the visiting Spartans (7-8).

It was only the second playoff game in the three-season history of the Schurr program, which paddled on through three quarters of futility, until scoring three goals in the final period.

It was yet another first-round blowout for the Sailors, who will play at El Toro in Friday’s quarterfinals. The site was determined in a coin flip before the playoffs. El Toro beat Laguna Hills, 13-5, in a first-round game Wednesday.

Newport Harbor has defeated the Chargers in both their previous meetings, both 8-2 scores, this season. The last was at the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions on Jan. 11. The other was a Jan. 4 nonleague game.

The Sailors were led by senior Erin Reid, who had four goals, two assists and two steals, despite playing less than a quarter.

Junior Nicolina McCall added two goals, two assists and two steals, while senior Jessica Lincoln chipped in two goals for the winners.

“We were fired up, because you can’t underestimate any team in the playoffs,” said Reid, whose speed allowed her to swim defender-free in the Spartans’ zone, resulting in easy goals or passes to equally-open teammates.

Had the Sailors played their typically smothering defense and unleashed their counterattack for the duration of the game, Schurr would have had trouble advancing the ball past mid-pool.

That was the case early as frustrated Schurr players could barely maintain possession of the ball when faced with the Sailors’ trademark defensive pressure.

“It was good for practice,” said Reid, a point echoed by Barnett.

“A lot of girls got to play,” was the veteran coach’s response when asked if his team got anything out of the encounter. “They all played and they seemed to be enjoying themselves.”

The Sailors, indeed, smiled, laughed and giggled at various points in the lopsided triumph.

Seniors Lauren Jarvey, Kimmy Morrison, and Annie Savoji added single goals for the Tars, who also received goals from junior Mia Butera as well as sophomores Kate Klippert and Kaleigh Gilchrist.

Savoji, senior Elizabeth Wheeler and McKenna Cottam, one of two players called up from the junior varsity, added assists for the Sailors.

Senior Mimi Bury had a pair of steals, as did Jarvey and Katie Jackson, the other JV callup.

Senior Lauren Miner had three saves after entering the game midway through the third period.

Starting goalie Morgan Vickers, a senior, and backup Chelsea Datt, another senior, had one save apiece.

CIF Southern Section Division I

First round

Newport Harbor 14, Schurr 3

SCORE BY QUARTERS

S – Cuenca 2, Flores 1. Saves – Gonzalez 3.

NH – Reid 4, Lincoln 2, McCall 2, Savoji 1, Gilchrist 1, Jarvey 1, Butera 1, Klippert, 1, Morrison 1. Saves – Vickers 1, Datt 1, Miner 3.

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at barryfaulkner@latimes.com.