Sea Kings find clear path

Bryce Alderton

Perhaps the Corona del Mar High girls water polo team tried too hard

to start its CIF Southern Section Division II first-round playoff

contest against visiting Sunny Hills, but once it overcame any

psychological premonitions, the end result was victory.

The top-seeded Sea Kings, the defending Division II champions,

started slowly, but found their stride in a five-goal third quarter

and swam away from the Lancers, 10-5, Thursday.

Senior Katya Eadington scored a game-high five goals while Katlin

Kubas and Camille Hewko each found the back of the cage twice for CdM

(19-9), which used counterattacks more frequently to forge the

third-quarter outburst.

“I think the counterattack tired [the Lancers] out in the third

quarter,” said CdM Coach Aaron Chaney, who was successful at getting

all 21 players into the game. “I was hoping we would get more of a

lead [in the first half], not to put it in Sunny Hills’ face, but to

get all 21 people in the game. The goal was to counter and pressure

on defense and, initially, we didn’t do a good job.”

CdM led, 3-1, at the end of the first period and took a 5-1 edge

into halftime, but the score could have been much more. The Sea Kings

failed to convert on any of its four six-on-five advantages in the

first half and were 1 of 7 for the game.

“We came out hard, so it was not for a lack of effort, but a lack

of execution,” Chaney said. “We came out too tight.”

The Lancers defeated Western, 7-4, in a wild-card game Tuesday and

outshot the Sea Kings, 12-10, through the first two quarters. But not

all shots were of the high-percentage variety, a credit to CdM’s

defense.

“[The Lancers] took off-balance shots. They didn’t have many good

shots at the beginning,” Chaney said. “I told the girls to play

pressure defense and not to foul too much on the perimeter.”

Officials called just three ejections on CdM.

Eadington came from behind to block a shot from Krista Carlsen on

the left wing while Hewko, Kubas, Vivian Liao (one goal) and Tracy

Kubas each made one steal. Hewko added three assists and, along with

Eadington, scored two goals each in the third period.

Eadington began the scoring 38 seconds into the quarter, taking a

length-of-the-pool pass from junior goalie Brittany Fullen and

shaking off a defender in the process. Kubas followed 48 seconds

later with a shot that deflected off of Sunny Hills’ goalkeeper Amber

Tice’s arm and trickled into the cage. Fifty-three seconds later,

Eadington found Hewko on a counterattack and the sophomore gave the

Sea Kings their only goal with a player advantage and Chaney emptied

the bench soon after.

“We were trying to counter each time, recognize who was open and

get it to them,” Eadington said.

Fullen made eight saves, four in the first half, before giving way

to senior Kelsey McCormick (one save) in the fourth quarter. Fullen

frequently began counterattacks with long outlet passes that caught

the Lancers reeling back on defense.

Fullen, who started for last season’s championship team, said the

playoffs offer a distinct tone.

“CIF is really frantic, everyone just wanted to play and get the

game done with,” Fullen said.

Chaney said being the No. 1 seed brings the added challenge of

avoiding complacency.

“No matter who you play in CIF, it is a different tournament.

Everyone plays with a lot of emotion, which evens things out,” Chaney

said. “It is hard when you are the No. 1 seed and everyone is trying

to knock you out. You just have to play at an increased level.”

The Sea Kings will get that chance again when they face Villa Park

(21-8) at 3:15 p.m. Saturday.

Chaney said Villa Park’s pool is not complaint with CIF

guidelines, meaning the game will most likely be played at either

Newport Harbor or CdM.

*--*

CIF Division II

First round

Corona del Mar 10, Sunny Hills 5

Score by Quarters

Sunny Hills 1 0 1 3 -- 5

CdM 3 2 5 0 -- 10

Sunny Hills -- C. McEwen 3, Crampton 1, Mares 1.

Saves -- Tice 5. CdM -- Eadington 5, Hewko 2, K.

Kubas 2, Liao 1. Saves -- Fullen 8, McCormick 1.

*--*