CdM makes big splash

IRVINE — The sky began to clear up and a parent in the stands told Corona del Mar High Coach Aaron Chaney, “You can smile now.”

Chaney’s face never cracked.

The Sea Kings made history at the Irvine Southern California Championships on Saturday, winning the 14th annual girls’ water polo tournament for the first time.

CdM made sure not to finish runner-up for a tournament record fifth time.

In doing so, the Sea Kings beat Dos Pueblos, 8-7, in the final, getting revenge on the top-ranked program in the CIF Southern Section Division I poll.

The No. 2-ranked Sea Kings (24-1) celebrated at Irvine High after beating the team handing CdM its only loss this season. One player broke out her MP3 player and blasted a Kelly Clarkson song.

Near the pool they sang as if they were at a karaoke bar. Chaney looked like the guy in the corner, just listening and never taking part in the fun.

Chaney has a reason not to get excited, even though he called the three-day, 32-team tournament the toughest this season.

“I’m not going to smile until the season’s over,” Chaney said. “I’ll smile when we’re done with the season.

“The ultimate prize, the ultimate goal … still is three weeks away.”

The objective for Chaney is to guide CdM to its first CIF Southern Section Division I championship.

Finishing second at this tournament doesn’t hurt as much as doing so in a section final.

The Sea Kings remember last season all too well. They almost ran into Back Bay rival Newport Harbor, the team which ruined their section championship hopes last season.

Newport Harbor also beat CdM in last season’s tournament championship. But the No. 4 Sailors (19-6) fell short of reaching the title match, losing to Dos Pueblos, 9-7, in a semifinal in the morning.

Newport Harbor bounced back and placed third after defeating No. 4 Los Alamitos, 10-4.

CdM advanced to the championship with a 5-4 semifinal victory against the Griffins. The Sea Kings rallied from a 3-0 deficit at halftime.

Elise Molnar scored the game-winner on a long-range shot with 25 seconds left.

The morning match took a lot of out of the Sea Kings. Chaney felt Dos Pueblos’ battle against Newport Harbor would affect the Chargers as well.

Chaney was right. To make matters worse, both teams fighting for the Division I playoffs’ top seed came into the afternoon title match already hurting.

Dos Pueblos was without goalie Sami Hill, who was in a jumpsuit and sporting a cast because of a broken right thumb. CdM freshman Pippa Saunders was in sweats and a long-sleeved shirt after injuring her nose on the first day of the tournament.

“I think both teams played with more energy in the semifinals,” Chaney said. “I’ve seen us play better. That wasn’t one of our better games.”

The Sea Kings’ effort was good enough to get payback and beat Dos Pueblos for the second time this season.

CdM lost to Dos Pueblos, 6-4, in the semifinals of the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions on Jan 17.

This time it was CdM taking the lead into the fourth period. Behind two goals each from Molnar and Victoria Kennedy, the Sea Kings led, 7-5.

Before the start of the final period, Chaney gathered his players and spoke up.

“You guys always wondered how … we always stack up against these [top] teams,” Chaney said. “Here’s the chance. Why not go out and do it right now.”

Rain began to come down hard and it wasn’t CdM striking first.

Fourteen seconds into the fourth, Dos Pueblos sophomore star Kiley Neushul scored on a lob, beating goalie Kate Baldoni for the third time.

Baldoni later responded after the Sea Kings’ lead dwindled to one. Helping her out was Kate Berry.

The senior took some of Chaney’s advice at halftime to heart. From the right side, Berry skipped a shot past goalie Nicole Morelos’ left side to push the advantage back to two with 4:28 left.

“[He] told us to shoot low and it will go in,” Berry said.

Thirty-four seconds later, the Chargers made it a one-goal match again. They converted their third power-play goal. Tiera Schroeder burned CdM this time after Neushul had on the other two advantages.

The rest of the way, Baldoni stopped every Dos Pueblos offering.

The biggest save came at the 2:40 mark. Neushul got in deep and fired a shot many believed was a sure goal. But Baldoni leaped and blocked it and the Sea Kings got to the loose ball.

There was one more opportunity for Dos Pueblos to tie it and send it into overtime. With 30 seconds left, the Chargers moved the ball around, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.

“It was kind of nerve-racking,” said Baldoni, who finished with 10 saves and was named the tournament’s outstanding goalie. “I thought they’d get a shot off quicker.”

The shot came with two seconds to go. It stood no chance.

Jessica Morelos’ attempt went wide left and the buzzer sounded, putting an end to CdM’s title drought at the Irvine Southern California Championships.

There is another drought Chaney is more concerned with now.

“CdM has never won a Division I championship,” said Chaney, adding that the road to winning the Division I title will be rigorous, despite possibly earning the top seed in the playoffs after beating Dos Pueblos. “Who do you want to play in the semifinals? Do you want to play Newport? Do you want to play Los Al? Dos Pueblos is going to be [the] No. 2 [seed]. It’s going to be between Los Al and Newport this Wednesday night, [when] they play in their big [Sunset] league [championship] matchup.

“The winner of that is going to be the No. 3 seed and the loser is going to be the No. 4 seed, so we’re going to end up playing the loser. Who’s that going to be, Newport or Los Al?”

The prospect of facing either team in the playoffs didn’t put a smile on Chaney’s face.

Irvine Southern California Championships

Championship match

Corona del Mar 8, Dos Pueblos 7

SCORE BY QUARTERS

CdM – Berry 2, Molnar 2, Kennedy 2, Van Hiel 1, Kaczmarek 1. Saves – Baldoni 10.

DP – Neushul 3, Schroeder 2, J. Morelos 1, Hill 1. Saves – N. Morelos 5.

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