Newport Harbor made big splash

When it comes to Newport Harbor High’s year in girls’ sports, you don’t even have to get out of the pool and dry yourself off to find out who made the biggest splash.

The Newport Harbor girls’ water polo team, far and away, made the biggest waves, garnered the most titles and awards and further established itself as a perennial power in CIF Southern Section’s Division I.

The Sailors were led by Leah Robertson, who was named Co-MVP of the Sea View League. Robertson also was named the CIF Southern Section Division I Player of the Year.

Robertson got it done on offense and defense for the Sailors, producing big goals at crucial times and playing stellar two-meter defense.

Robertson was an integral part of Newport Harbor’s CIF title run, which ended with a 14-13 overtime victory over Montebello, the highest-scoring section championship game in girls’ water polo history.

Robertson is slated to continue her education and water polo career at the University of Michigan.

Kally Lucas was a first-team All-CIF Division I selection for the Sailors. She netted seven goals in the Division I championship game, including four after halftime of Newport Harbor’s overtime victory over Montebello at Belmont Plaza Pool in Long Beach.

Newport Harbor Coach Bill Barnett called Lucas one of greatest high school shooters he has seen.

Lucas, who earned an athletic scholarship to USC, led the Tars in goals, courtesy of a quick and blistering shot.

Newport Harbor’s other top scoring threat, two-meter star Calli Manderino, was a first-team All-CIF Division I pick, helping her team finish 27-4 and win the school’s third CIF title. She was the consistent scoring threat the Sailors needed at two meters. In the CIF title-game triumph over Montebello, she netted four goals and formed a stellar one-two punch with Lucas. She also was a first-team All-Sea View League pick.

Goalkeeper Elizabeth Layton and senior Katie Kepner were second-team All-Sea View League selections. Newport Harbor went 5-0 in securing the Sea View League title.

The Sailors outscored their opponents, 60-26, in the CIF playoffs. Newport Harbor’s CIF title was its second in three seasons and third in eight years. Barnett was named the CIF Division I Coach of the Year.

In the CIF Division I championship game against Montebello, the Sailors trailed, 13-11, when Lucas scored from outside in transition, then added a power play goal with 33 seconds left in regulation time to tie the score.

After a scoreless first overtime period, Manderino was fouled and Newport Harbor went on the power play. After Marisa Cottam’s shot was deflected out for a corner throw, the Sailors got the ball to Lucas, who whipped the ball just inside the near post to give her team a 14-13 lead, which held up in the final 1:28 of the second overtime period. Layton made four saves in the first overtime period.

Track and Field: The feats of Allison Stokke and Jessica Robson highlighted the girls’ track and field season for Newport Harbor. Stokke, who will be a senior next season, took second place in the state meet with a height of 12 feet, 9 inches.

Stokke reached the state meet by taking second at the Masters Meet, recording a 12-8 on her first vault.

Stokke reached the Masters Meet by winning the CIF Southern Section Division II pole vault title. She was the only vaulter to clear 13 feet in the CIF Division II final.

Stokke also set a Sea View League record in the pole vault this year with a first-place height of 13-0.

Robson, who will be a senior next season, ended her season with an eighth-place finish in the long jump at 16 feet, 9 inches in the CIF Division II finals. She recorded a 17-1 in the CIF preliminaries to reach the finals.

Junior Taylor Bryson was one of the top runners in the Sea View League in the 1,600, while senior Whitney Blue shined in the 3,200. Robson competed in as many as four events per meet during the regular season. Her favorite event is the high jump, but she was often more proficient in the long jump, triple jump and 100-meter hurdles.

In the Sea View League finals, Robson qualified for CIF in three events for the Newport Harbor girls, which took third place. Robson took first place in the high jump with a mark of 5-2.

Field hockey: The Newport Harbor High girls’ field hockey team advanced to the Los Angeles Field Hockey Assn. Tournament of Championships title match for the sixth consecutive season, and lost for the second straight season. The Sailors fell in the championship match, 3-1, to Marina, a year after losing to Harvard-Westlake, 1-0, in the final. Newport Harbor also lost in the championship game to Marina in 2000 and 2001.

Marina had Newport Harbor’s number during the regular season as well, defeating them, 2-1, and, 1-0, in Sunset League action.

Despite nemesis Marina, it was another stellar season for the perennial power Sailors (21-6-1) under first-year Coach Piper Phillips.

Darci Pennington and Ashton Rief led the defensive effort all season long. Senior Sasha Grumman, a Daily Pilot Female High School Athlete of the Week honoree, helped control the midfield for Newport Harbor.

Grumman, Rief and Foster were named to the All-Tournament of Champions team for the Sailors.

Grumman, a first-team All-Sunset League pick, is slated to continue her education and field hockey career at Kenyon College in Ohio.

Newport Harbor’s Jackie Taylor was named the Sunset League’s most valuable defensive player. Ries and Foster were first-team All-Sunset League picks. Seniors Danica Kalmbach and Pennington were second-team selections.

Cross Country: The Newport Harbor girls’ cross country team, led by Whitney Blue, captured the CIF Southern Section Division II crown. Blue finished in second place individually with a time of 17 minutes, 28 seconds.

Blue, who will continue her education and long-distance running career at Arizona State, advanced to the state championships, where she took sixth place in Division II, and Footlocker West Regional, where she finished 10th.

Both the Newport Harbor and Corona del Mar girls were champions of their respective divisions in the same year for the first time since 1993. The Sailors claimed the Division II title in 94:28.

Blue’s second-place finish was followed by junior Taylor Bryson (22nd, 19:04), junior Melissa Mead (25th, 19:06), freshman Desiree Alexander (29th, 19:11) and junior Lauren Maddox (43rd, 19:39).

In addition, Blue broke her own school record with a time of 16:33 in the Sea View League finals at Irvine Regional Park in Orange. Blue’s performance helped the Sailors take the Sea View League crown.

Volleyball: The Newport Harbor girls’ volleyball team was led by Bryana Carey. The opposite hitter was named the Sea View League’s Most Valuable Player. Carey, who helped lead the Sailors to the Sea View League championship, is slated to continue her education and volleyball career at William and Mary.

Carey was assisted by Megan Munce, a setter who is just as dangerous spiking the ball as she is dishing out assists. Munce, who will be a junior next school year, was an All-Sea View League first-team selection for the Sailors.

Outside hitter Jamie Heenan, who will be a junior next season, also was a first-team All-Sea View League pick. Outside hitters Megan Tooman and Coco Yokoyama, who will be seniors next season, were second-team All-Sea View picks.

The Sailors finished the season 24-8. They were eliminated in the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division II-AA playoffs.

Newport Harbor High was victorious in its Battle of the Bay match against Corona del Mar, 25-14, 29-27, 19-25, 25-23.

Tennis: The Newport Harbor girls’ tennis team went undefeated in Sea View League action at 10-0, capturing its third consecutive league crown.

Newport Harbor fell to Northwood, 9-9 (80-76), in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs. The doubles teams of Megan McKay and Alex McIntosh and Sasha Dunlap and Chrissy Schwartz swept their sets in the crushing first-round loss. The Sailors finished their season with a record of 14-3.

Dunlap and Schwartz were 22-2 in Sea View League doubles action and Mckay was 18-0 in singles in Sea View League matches.

Dunlap and Schwartz reached the quarterfinals of the CIF Individuals doubles tournament before falling to Thousand Oaks’ Jenna Ritz and Lauren Ritz.

Soccer: The Newport Harbor girls’ soccer team made a late push for a CIF playoff spot out of the Sea View League, but it proved to be too little, too late. The Sailors finished 4-4-2 in league, in a three-way tie for third place, but were edged out of a playoff berth.

The highlight of Newport Harbor’s season came when it knocked off eventual Sea View League champion Aliso Niguel, 2-1, on Jan. 31. At the time, the Wolverines were ranked No. 1 in CIF Southern Section Division I.

Midfielder Emily Ohlhaver was a first-team All-Sea View League selection for the Sailors. Ohlhaver controlled the midfield in the Sailors’ upset of Aliso Niguel, setting up several scoring chances and scoring the tying goal. Ohlhaver, who will be a junior next season, figures to be the focal point of Newport Harbor’s offense for the next two years.

Forward Lindley Wren, who will be a senior next season, was a second-team All-Sea View League pick for the Sailors, who finished with a 7-12-4 record in Coach Phil D’Agostino’s second year as coach.