It’s Battle of the Bay II

One thing will be certain after today. The CIF Southern Section Division I championship game will feature a Back Bay girls’ water polo program.

Corona del Mar High is trying to reach the game for the third straight season.

Newport Harbor wants to return to the top for the second time in three seasons.

The semifinal today at Irvine High at 5 p.m. is the Battle of the Bay II between the second-seeded Sailors and third-seeded Sea Kings. The winner moves on and plays Saturday for the crown.

The Sailors (24-5) are the favorites due to their two stars, USC-bound senior Kaleigh Gilchrist (90 goals) and UC Berkeley-bound senior Kathryn Klippert (52 goals), and experience. The Sea Kings (21-8) lost a lot of talent to graduation and they’re young, with only two returning starters, Victoria Kennedy (33 goals) and Margot Money (40 goals).

In the one meeting between these two water polo giants this season, Newport Harbor easily won, 9-3, at home. The rivals usually play more than once during the regular season.

When it comes to the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs, Newport Harbor and CdM have met once. The first time was in the title game in 2008, when the Sailors roared back from a three-goal deficit in the fourth and prevailed, 6-5, in overtime.

The past two seasons, it’s been either Newport Harbor or CdM dominating the rivalry. The Sailors went 4-1 against the Sea Kings in the 2007-08 season, and the Sea Kings were 4-0 against Newport Harbor in 2008-09.

If the Sailors advance out of the semis, they will make their sixth section title appearance under Coach Bill Barnet. They’re 4-1 in the championship, an impressive record.

The Sea Kings have dropped the past two section titles by a combined two goals under Coach Aaron Chaney. Last season, CdM lost to Dos Pueblos of Goleta, 3-2. The Chargers are the top seed this season and are favored to repeat.

Dos Pueblos (29-0) faces fourth-seeded Los Alamitos (28-3) in the other semifinal tonight at 7 at Irvine High.