CdM rules, 12-11

Roger Carlson

IRVINE - Corona del Mar High’s boys water polo team has just one

problem at the moment, returning to earth and remaining focused in their

quest for Pacific Coast League and CIF Southern Section Division II

championships.

Back Bay rival Newport Harbor, meanwhile, should have no problem at

all in the focus department, the Division I power needs only to scan the

headlines and read the story of its 12-11 loss to Corona del Mar Saturday

night at Heritage Park at the S&R; Sport Water Polo Cup championship

final.

An easier task: Visualize again the game-stopping final play as senior

Caine Littrell swept into scoring territory against Corona del Mar

sophomore goalie Beau Stockstill.

It was one-on-one with the championship at stake, Littrell arching a

picture-perfect lob toward the net, Stockstill coming out of the cage,

soaring and ... like a Shaq reject, denying the Sailors a chance to send

it into overtime.

“I thought our kids did a great job,” said CdM Coach John Vargas, back

from coaching the U.S. men at the Sydney Games. “It was like old times,

Corona del Mar and Newport in the finals.”

“Newport-Corona games always get crazy at the end,” said Sailors Coach

Brian Kreutzkamp. “Even when we were down by three or four, I knew it

would go down to the last shot.”

Kreutzkamp watched his team self-destruct in the passing game, losing

possession time and again without getting off a shot. Overall the Sailors

were on the wrong end of a 14-7 turnover ratio. Many were unforced,

leaving Kreutzkamp basically mystified.

“It was our worst passing game by far,” continued Kreutzkamp. Our guys

thought they had it made.”

Harbor had put away previously undefeated Coronado and

Harvard-Westlake on the way to the finals with a great tournament run,

but perhaps failed to take into account Corona del Mar’s tremendous 9-6

victory over Long Beach Wilson in the semifinal, a game highlighted by a

5-1 run in the third quarter to snap a 4-4 halftime count.

Nor, perhaps, did the Sailors come to grips with the hunger factor as

Corona del Mar swept in and played them nose-to-nose in a 4-4 first

quarter.

Then a 3-for-3 exlosion - Garrett Bowlus with a man-up score and two

goals from junior Michael March, first from the perimeter, then from the

corner. It was March who buried Wilson with a five-goal performance

earlier in the day.

That three-goal run moved CdM into a 7-5 lead and Newport never fully

recovered.

The Sailors chipped away with a goal in the third quarter, then the

Sea Kings did it again with another 3-for-3 effort to burst into a 10-6

lead.

Bobby Messenger hit from the corner, sophomore Artie Dorr, the

tournament’s MVP, connected with the third of five goals, despite being

double-teamed in the hole, then Bowlus went inside and converted.

Sea View League and Division I power Newport responded with two goals

by Joey Snelgrove and a score from Ryan Cook to close the gap to 10-9

with 5:08 left. But CdM came right back, the burly Dorr destroying

another double-team with a shot from the hole, then popping from outside

with 3:44 left to give CdM a 12-9 lead.

The Sailors fought back with goals by Snelgrove and Jendrusina, and

had their chances in the final two minutes.

Two steals, a 6-on-5 and the shot clock running out on Corona left

just one remaining sequence with five seconds left, but Stockstill was

(up) there to deny.

Peter Belden scored three of his four goals for Newport in the first

eight minutes, and Snelgrove (three), Cook (two), Jendrusina and Bean

rounded out the Tars’ scoring.

Dorr (five), Bowlus (three), March (two) and Chriss Street and

Messenger were Corona’s scoring moments.

Newport is 10-4 overall; CdM is 9-2.

Both teams are entered in the Northern California Tournament at

Stanford Oct. 27-28, but that’s as close as they’ll get. For now, the Sea

Kings own the bay.

S&R; Sport Water Polo Cup

(at Heritage Park)

Championship

Corona del Mar 12, Newport Harbor 11

Corona del Mar 4 3 3 2 - 12

Newport Harbor 4 1 2 4 - 11 CdM - Dorr 5, Bowlus 3, March 2, Street 1, Messenger 1. Saves: Kim 2, Stockstill 6.

NH - Belden 4, Snelgrove 3, Cook 2, Jendrusina 1, Bean 1. Saves:

Johnson 10.

Semifinals

Corona del Mar 9, Long Beach Wilson 6

Corona del Mar 2 2 5 0 - 9

Long Beach Wilson 3 1 1 1 - 6

CdM - March 5, Bowlus 2, Dorr 2. Saves: Kim 12.

Newport Harbor 11, Coronado 8

Newport Harbor 3 2 1 5 - 11

Coronado 2 3 1 2 - 8

NH - Belden 3, Snelgrove 3, Littrell 3, Jendrusina 2, Cook 1. Saves:

n/a.