Battle of the Bay girls’ soccer game returns this year for rivals CdM, Newport Harbor

There was a decent amount of hype behind the Battle of the Bay girls’ soccer game last year.

Corona del Mar High came into the rivalry game top-ranked in CIF Southern Section Division 2, and Newport Harbor was also ranked in the division at No. 9. Both teams had talented freshman classes and deep squads.

But the game never happened. It was rained out at CdM’s field, and moving it to Newport Harbor wasn’t an option as Davidson Field was undergoing renovations. With the Sailors beginning play in the rugged Sunset League soon after, the teams never reached an agreement on a date to reschedule the game.

That won’t be a problem this season. The game will indeed take place Dec. 21 at 3:15 p.m. at CdM. If rain becomes an issue, it will move to the turf field at Newport Harbor.

“It’s 100% happening,” Newport Harbor coach Justin Schroeder said in a text message.

Schroeder, in his second year in charge, will get to coach against the rival Sea Kings for the first time. He’s good friends with CdM coach Bryan Middleton, which is why he agreed to have the game at CdM this season even though technically it should rotate to Newport Harbor.

Schroeder’s Sailors are young, after losing their top two players from last season. Graduate Sianna Siemonsma, who scored 24 goals last season, went to play at the University of Washington. Emily Johnson, a junior who had 10 goals and a team-best 12 assists last season, isn’t playing for Newport Harbor this season. Schroeder said that Johnson, a UC Santa Barbara commit, is playing for the U.S. Soccer Girls’ Development Academy.

The Sailors have typically come into the Battle of the Bay as underdogs, but they have enjoyed success. Siemonsma went 1-0-2 in her three years of rivalry games. CdM has not won the Battle of the Bay game since 2012.

Still, Middleton is happy to resume the rivalry game. His team also lost a top player from last season in sophomore Trinity Rodman, who had a co-team high of 14 goals last season as a freshman. Rodman, a UCLA commit, transferred to JSerra along with her older brother, D.J., a junior who plays basketball.

Sophomore Megan Chelf, a University of Arizona commit, does return as the other co-leading scorer. The Sea Kings are also bolstered by players like senior forward Ava McKenzie and her sister, Alyssa, a junior center back who recently committed to Eastern Washington University.

This is the last time the Battle of the Bay will be simply a nonleague game, with CdM moving the Sunset League next season.

“The girls are focused and have the [Battle of the Bay] as one of their team goals this year,” Middleton said in a text message, adding that it “should be a fun and exciting game!”

Huntington Beach water polo alumni help UCLA win national title

A Huntington Beach High graduate, Quinten Osborne, scored UCLA’s first goal of the NCAA men’s water polo national title game on Sunday.

A different Oilers alumnus, Alex Wolf, scored the last goal.

Osborne, a freshman center, and Wolf, a redshirt sophomore goalie, helped the Bruins beat USC 7-5 for the national title at the Trojans’ pool.

Wolf, named the MVP of the NCAA championship tournament, made 10 saves in the final before icing the win with his goal with two seconds remaining.

The national title is the 11th for UCLA men’s water polo.

Local players on the winning UCLA team included two other Huntington Beach High products. James Vlachonassios was a sophomore attacker for the Bruins, and Patrick Saunders a redshirt freshman goalie.

matthew.szabo@latimes.com

Twitter: @mjszabo