Newport holds off CdM

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NEWPORT BEACH — In the pool, Newport Harbor High faced a boys’ water polo player on fire for Corona del Mar.

Outside of it, the Sailors heard a heated coach berate their physical play.

Officials settled CdM’s Barry O’Dea down, giving the coach a yellow card late in the third period.

It was up to the Sailors to take care of CdM’s Max Bergeson in the final period. When the senior fired his last shot of the game, Blake Kelly redirected it out of danger.

Kelly blocked a potential-game tying shot with 26 seconds left, allowing host Newport Harbor to hold on and win the Battle of the Bay, 10-9, Saturday night.

The block was one of two crucial plays Kelly made in the final period for the Sailors (17-3), ranked No. 2 in the CIF Southern Section Division I coaches’ poll.

At the 3:35 mark, the UC Berkeley-bound senior scored the eventual game-winning goal. On a dump-in by Farrel South, Kelly created space between him and the defender at two meters.

Without looking at the cage, Kelly’s quick backhanded shot put the Sailors ahead by two goals.

The goal was Kelly’s third of the game, enough for the Sailors to get revenge on No. 4-ranked CdM (16-4) after losing last year’s rivalry game.

This turned out to be the kind of battle Newport Harbor needed before it defends its Memorial Cup Invitational championship next week in San Jose.

“Our league games haven’t been as challenging,” said Kelly, whose team is 3-0 in the Sunset League and has outscored opponents, 36-12. “We definitely could use a good challenge and this is definitely one of them.”

The Sea Kings more than tested the Sailors, who also saw Matt Russell finish with three goals. CdM almost beat Newport Harbor for only the third time in nine years.

The schools faced each other a handful of times last year, the Sailors winning all but one, the most important one during the regular season. Bergeson tried to make it back-to-back Battle of the Bay victories for the Sea Kings.

The left-handed sharpshooter recorded six goals, his best total in the heated rivalry. Each time Newport Harbor took a comfortable lead, Bergeson cut the deficit or tied the game.

The Sea Kings went into final two quarters down one because of Bergeson.

Newport Harbor’s defense seemed to have no answers for Bergeson. Half of his goals came on six-on-five advantages. One goal, on even strength, came from way out, Bergeson beating the 30-second shot clock and the goalie with a lob finding the left corner of the net.

That beauty tied the game at 7-7 with 3:30 left in the third. It never really should’ve stood a chance if not for the Sailors fouling Bergeson. The fouls became a common occurrence.

“We fouled him outside five [meters] … too many times,” Newport Harbor Coach Jason Lynch said of Bergeson.

The momentum was with the Sea Kings until one of the officials in all white showed yellow.

The card was for O’Dea questioning officials on calls, or no-calls. O’Dea sat down on a red ice chest, the coach’s personal penalty box on Saturday.

Without their coach vocally fighting for them in the pool, the Sea Kings lost steam and were unable to take their first lead in the game. Kelly drew a five-meter penalty shot 11 seconds after O’Dea received the card.

Kelly put it away, giving Newport Harbor an 8-7 lead with 2:28 to go in the third. On a power-play opportunity, Jack Yeager made it a two-goal game with his second goal.

But there was Bergeson again, getting fouled and then skipping in a side-armed shot to cut the deficit to 9-8 with 34 seconds left before the fourth.

At this point, Bergeson scored at least once in every period. In the last one, the Sailors made sure No. 20 didn’t beat them.

Bergeson was held scoreless in the final seven minutes. CdM’s lone goal in the period was by Blake Terry, who cashed in after goalie Bruce Bearer delivered a long pass.

Down one with 85 seconds to go, it appeared Justin Papa’s power-play shot crossed the goal line. Somehow, goalie Chris Whitelegge prevented CdM from tying the match.

The Sea Kings had one more chance to even things. O’Dea ordered a timeout in the final 48 seconds.

The Sailors had an idea who was taking the shot for CdM. They made it tough on Bergeson.

“They put everyone in the cage,” Bergeson said. “I probably could’ve taken a little more time.

“[We’ll see Newport Harbor] possibly next weekend up [in San Jose at the Memorial Cup Invitational] if everything works out as it should.”