Local teams fare well at Junior Olympics

The Huntington Beach Water Polo 16-Under girls’ team placed fifth in its division at the USA Water Polo S&R Sport 2010 Junior Olympics, held Aug. 5 through 8 at various sites in the Los Angeles area.

The event was held in the Los Angeles area for the first time in the 41-year history of the national tournament.

Anchored by Alys Williams (Edison High), Yoshi Andersen (Laguna Beach High) and goalie Savanna Smith (Los Alamitos High), the team went 5-1 in the tournament. Huntington won its first four games against Clovis, Los Angeles Water Polo, Santa Barbara B, and Trojan (Los Angeles). The loss came against Commerce in the quarterfinals. Huntington, however, rebounded to defeat Xtreme (Corona) and Chino Hills Area Water Polo.

The fifth-place game between Huntington and Chino Hills was a rematch between the teams, with Chino Hills winning the first meeting in the Junior Olympics qualifying tournament.

“The girls worked hard and played great,” Huntington Coach Vicky Barker said. “To come back and beat CHAWP by seven goals after losing to them by one only six weeks ago was a great way to end the tournament.”

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HBWP 12U boys finish seventh

The Huntington Beach 12U boys’ team earned a seventh-place finish in its division at the Junior Olympics.

On the opening day of play, Huntington routed Santa Clara Valley, 19-2, then came back later in the day to down Commerce, 11-5, to win its bracket. Subsequent wins over South Bay United (16-14) and Foothill (7-2) moved the team into the quarterfinals.

In the round of eight, Huntington fell to Orange County Water Polo, 14-6. The team responded from that setback to defeat Northwood, 8-5. In the sixth-place game, Huntington, playing without one of its top players, fell to Los Alamitos, 14-7.

Local player leads OCWP 12U boys

Huntington Beach resident Connor Turnbow-Lindenstadt helped lead the Orange County Water Polo 12U boys’ team to a second-place finish in its division at the Junior Olympics.

Orange County’s 12U boys won six of seven games against competition from Connecticut, Texas and California. The team outscored its seven opponents, 96-36.

Turnbow-Lindenstadt will be a seventh-grade student at Marine View Middle School in September.