Costa Mesa boys’ water polo owns city, Orange Coast League title

The Costa Mesa High boys’ water polo team opened its season with one-goal losses to Woodbridge and Marina.

It did not get easier from there, at least not right away.

The losing streak ballooned to eight matches, and maybe growing pains could be expected. In the eight years that Cody and Dustin Serrano have been coaching at their alma mater, this year’s team was the least experienced.

There are four freshmen starters — Ayden Alcazar, Luke De La Jara, Nathan Ruiz and Dylan Rothenberg — and sophomore goalkeeper Omar Babovic was just getting his varsity legs.

But then a funny thing happened. The Mustangs started gelling. On the verge of the postseason, the eight-match losing streak has become an eight-match winning streak.

The biggest victory came Wednesday. Costa Mesa won at rival Estancia 12-4 in the Battle for the Bell match, clinching its fourth straight Orange Coast League title.

Costa Mesa’s Wes Brazda, right, scores against Estancia’s Mateo Evans, left, during the first half of Wednesday’s match.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

Sophomore Wes Brazda scored four goals for Mesa. Alcazar and junior Wyyatt Juelfs each scored three times for the Mustangs (14-14, 4-0 in league), who enter next week’s CIF Southern Section Division 2 playoffs with momentum.

“Our biggest task was trying to get their water polo IQ up as fast as possible,” Dustin Serrano said. “But they wanted it. They came to work right away. They’re a fun class.”

As an example, Serrano said his players came to Estancia’s nonleague match against Portola on Oct. 22 to scout the Eagles (20-7, 3-1).

“We didn’t have to say anything,” he said. “The kids wanted to come and watch. Cody and I had to come and make sure they behaved well, because they are a bunch of freshmen and sophomores. But they wanted to make sure they had their ducks in a line and that they were ready for this game.”

Costa Mesa usually looks ready against its crosstown rival; Wednesday’s win was the Mustangs’ 11th straight Battle for the Bell victory over the Eagles.

Estancia’s Micah Gniffke, top, competes against Costa Mesa during the first half of Wednesday’s match.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

Rothenberg had two goals for Costa Mesa, but the Mustangs did it with defense. They held Estancia to just two goals after the first quarter, and the Eagles went just one for six in power-play situations. Babovic made 10 saves.

Costa Mesa, which led 5-3 at halftime, converted four of eight extra-man chances, as well as a pair of penalty shots. The visitors snapped a six-match winning streak for Estancia, which is ranked No. 7 in Division 4.

“They manhandled us,” Estancia coach Matt Frazier said. “They took us out of our game, especially on offense. The guys just didn’t respond and just gave up … They don’t have any confidence against Mesa.

“If our drive system works, it works, but we’re throwing the ball to the wrong people. We’re not running our system correctly. It’s worked all season. We’re 20-7 right now … but they took us out of everything today.”

Senior Kervin Lim Sy led Estancia with three goals, and senior Micah Gniffke also scored once. Goalkeeper Peyton Watkins had nine saves and two steals.

Costa Mesa’s Wyatt Juelfs, right, scores against Estancia during the Battle for the Bell boys’ water polo match.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

Though the Mustangs are young — just two seniors, Jordan De La Jara and Liam Fahrion, hit the water in Wednesday’s match — they now have belief.

Beating up on your crosstown rival can help with that, too.

“We have a team of freshmen this year, and this was really a year of building as a team and growing together,” Juelfs said. “We’re showing what we’re going to bring for the next seasons to come ... Even losing all of those games, we were able to build chemistry and work together.”

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