Sailors fall behind

NEWPORT BEACH — Coach Jason Lynch warned Newport Harbor High before Thursday’s crucial boys’ water polo match.

This Sunset League opener against Los Alamitos pretty much was for the league championship.

“Being composed and not being too high and jacked up,” Lynch told his players.

The Sailors forgot what Lynch said.

They fell behind early and never managed to come back, losing to Los Alamitos, 7-5, at a packed Newport Harbor pool.

At the end, the Griffins’ fans yelled the loudest.

Los Alamitos (12-1) beat the Sailors (7-4) in league for the first time since Newport Harbor returned to the Sunset League in 2006.

Los Alamitos Coach Dave Carlson was already talking about winning the league title because the teams only face each other in league once.

“We haven’t won a league title since they moved into the league,” said Carlson, who when he became the head coach in 1999, the Griffins won six of the next seven Sunset League titles.

“I think that both of us felt that there was a lot of parity between us. It was going to be probably a one-goal, or two-goal game, either way.

“Whoever won this game was going to probably win [league].”

Los Alamitos, ranked No. 2 in the CIF Southern Section Division I coaches’ poll, returned to the site, where it dropped its first match of the season.

The Griffins lost to El Toro in the South Coast Tournament championship last month. Los Alamitos and Newport Harbor never met during the three-day event.

Lynch wanted it that way for his No. 5 Sailors.

So did Carlson.

What Lynch didn’t wish for was the Griffins getting off to a hot start Thursday. They jumped out to a 2-0 lead on goals by two-meter attacker Joe Ferretti.

The sophomore scored twice in a 46-second span.

“He’s pretty long,” Lynch said.

Ferretti continued to grow, scoring two more times before halftime, giving him a match-high four goals.

A 5-2 lead at the half gave the Griffins confidence against the Sailors, the defending league and CIF Southern Section Division I champs.

In many ways, Newport Harbor was surprised by Los Alamitos’ game plan.

Instead of playing their normal zone on defense, the Griffins pressed.

“What we scouted them for, they changed it up on us,” said Zach Osadche, who started looking forward to Newport Harbor opening the two-day Southern California Tournament today in Irvine. “That’s no excuse. We just didn’t play to our potential.”

Osadche tried his best to bring back Newport Harbor. The senior scored three goals, two coming in the final period.

One minute into the fourth, Osadche scored on a quick counterattack. The way Los Alamitos played, its goalie Michael Delaney holding onto the ball several times for close to 17 seconds before passing it, the Griffins’ 7-4 advantage looked safe.

Delaney once kept the ball with eight seconds on the shot clock until Los Alamitos called a timeout, or tried to. Carlson and his assistant ran up the side of the pool to grab the attention of one of the two referees.

The referees were dressed in their traditional white outfits. Carlson’s face was red.

“It wasn’t a big deal because they gave us time,” said Carlson, calmer now.

As soon as play began, Newport Harbor’s David Linden stole the ball and tossed it to Osadche nearby.

On a breakaway on the right, Osadche put it away to bring the Sailors within two goals with 3:27 left.

In the waning minutes, the Griffins played keep-away. They let the shot clock run down before chucking it into an open corner.

Twice Lynch called timeouts, saving the Sailors some time. He understood they were really up against the clock.

“Winning the league is probably not possible,” said Lynch, adding his teams had won five out of the last six league titles, three in the Sea View League. “Our beginning, we were just too jittery and we’re not playing confident.”

You can’t say Lynch didn’t warn his Sailors.

Sunset League

Los Alamitos 7, Newport Harbor 5

SCORE BY QUARTERS

LA – Ferretti 4, Trinkle 2, Watkins 1. Saves – Delaney 13.

NH – Osadche 3, Hayes 1, Linden 1. Saves – Holbrook 14.

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at david.carrillo@latimes.com.