Newport Harbor girls' water polo wins inaugural Newport Invitational

Newport Harbor's Bia Mantellato (12) follows through as she scores against Laguna Beach.

By Matt SzaboStaff Writer

Jan. 29, 2022 7:58 PM PT

Every time Newport Harbor High senior Bia Mantellato scores a goal, the same thing is heard on the pool deck.

“Vamos, Bia!” junior goalkeeper Anna Reed yells in encouragement of the exchange student from Brazil.

“It’s very nice,” Mantellato said with a smile. “I taught the girls some Portuguese words. It’s just a thing I have with Anna, but everyone does it. . It hypes me up, and it’s very fun. We’re still working on the pronunciation.”

The way that the Sailors have been playing this season translates as beautiful in any language.

Newport Harbor romped through the inaugural Newport Invitational, routing Foothill 17-6 in the title match of the eight-team tournament Saturday at Newport Harbor High. The Sailors then romped off the pool deck to get ready for their winter formal dance at Knott’s Berry Farm.

Senior Taylor Smith scored five goals for the Surf League champion Sailors (21-1), the top-ranked team in CIF Southern Section Division 1, in the final. Mantellato added four goals, and junior left-hander Avery Montiel scored three times.

Newport Harbor's Lily Gess attempts to score against Laguna Beach on Saturday.

Reed continued her recent standout play with 10 saves. Newport Harbor left no doubt, opening up a 5-1 lead after the first quarter on four goals and an assist by Smith, who flipped the ball to future UCLA teammate Lily Gess for a goal with one second left in the quarter.

“I think this whole weekend just showed us where we were,” Smith said. “I think we set the bar for the excitement and energy that we need to have each game. I had a lot of fun this weekend, so I hope this is just the beginning and we continue to play this way.”

The Sailors led Foothill by a 9-1 score at halftime and everyone got playing time. Ryan Chalupnik, Chiara Amoroso and Makaelee Hansberger combined for four goals out of center in the powerful effort, which also featured two assists by senior Alex Love.

Freshman Caitlin Stayt also had two assists for the winners, who have won 14 straight matches.

Laguna Beach's Ava Knepper, top, competes against Newport Harbor during the Newport Invitational tournament on Saturday.

Ashley Kwan had two goals to lead Foothill (13-10), which had beaten Orange Lutheran 14-13 in sudden-death overtime in the semifinals.

“It was amazing,” Mantellato said. “I think we just built up every game, and did a good job working for each other and playing for each other. I feel like it’s just getting better. We still have a lot to improve, but it was very fun. Everyone being able to play, I feel like we’re just very connected now, and that’s what matters to us.”

Senior Morgan Netherton, who did not score in the final or the Sailors’ 13-7 win over Laguna Beach in a semifinal earlier Saturday, instead played distributor with three assists in each contest.

Newport Harbor led Laguna Beach just 4-3 at halftime but pulled away with a seven-goal third quarter. Mantellato continued her standout play against the Breakers this season with five goals, including a mid-tank strike at the third-quarter buzzer, while Smith scored four and Love scored three.

Reed made 12 saves as Newport beat Laguna for the third time in four meetings this year.

“I think Anna’s been playing fantastic lately,” Sailors coach Ross Sinclair said. “The last two, three weeks, she’s been playing great. She’s just in a really good rhythm and reading the ball well. The defense is doing a good job putting the right blocks in front of her, and she’s trusting her blocks.”

Newport Harbor goalkeeper Anna Reed defends against Laguna Beach during the second half of Saturday's semifinal match.

Laguna Beach (22-5), meanwhile, perhaps solidified its No. 2 spot in Division 1, rebounding from the semifinal loss to Newport Harbor to beat Orange Lutheran 12-7 in the third-place match.

Sophomore Ava Knepper was on fire early, scoring all of her six goals in the first half. Senior Ava Houlahan scored twice, while Hannah Carver, Cleo Washer, Charlotte Riches and Lela McCarroll had one goal each.

Junior goalkeeper Lauren Schneider made seven saves, including one on a penalty shot, as the Breakers improved to 2-1 this season against the Lancers.

“I feel like this whole tournament gave us the confidence that we know we can win CIF, for sure,” Knepper said. “It solidified it for us. We already knew there was a chance, but I feel like this tournament gave us 10 times as much confidence.

“We played together [against Orange Lutheran], and when we play together I think we’re unstoppable. I thought it was really fun.”