Kelly gets top honor

Senior attacker Blake Kelly earned the Sunset League Player of the Year award after leading the Newport Harbor High boys’ water polo team to an undefeated league championship season.

Joining Kelly on the first team were teammates Zach Lucas, Jack Yeager and Matt Russell. The four seniors played a vital role to Newport Harbor (26-5, 5-0 in league) reaching the CIF Southern Section Division I final.

Kelly led the Sailors with 84 goals, and he added 28 steals and 23 assists.

Lucas and Yeager are repeat first-team picks, while Kelly and Russell are on the team for the first time.

Lucas, a utility player, scored 55 goals and was tops on the team in steals (77) and assists (56).

Yeager, an attacker, finished with 43 goals, 41 steals and 27 assists, and Russell, a center, had 37 goals, 16 assists and 16 steals.

Sailors earning second-team honors were seniors Dane Sequeira and Chris Whitelegge, as well as sophomore Farrel South.

Receiving honorable mention were seniors Tim Tauber and Kristopher Craib, and freshman John Walters.

Eric Perales of Fountain Valley was named Coach of the Year.

— From staff reports