Corona del Mar Ends Up in Familiar Spot

The championship ring was raised a lot higher this season for the Corona del Mar boys’ water polo team. After winning their third consecutive Southern Section Division II title last season, the Sea Kings were moved into Division I.

But that wasn’t enough to keep Corona del Mar from returning to the title game. The second-seeded Sea Kings edged third-seeded North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake, 3-2, in a semifinal game Wednesday at Newport Harbor High.

The Sea Kings (21-7) will meet top-seeded Long Beach Wilson, winner of five titles in six years, in the championship game Saturday at Belmont Plaza in Long Beach.

Corona del Mar goalkeeper Beau Stockstill led a strong defensive effort against Harvard-Westlake, stopping 16 shots and collecting four steals.

“All 28 minutes were intense,� said Stockstill, a senior. “Against Harvard-Westlake, you can’t let down your guard.�

John Money also contributed several big plays on both ends of the pool. He had two key steals late in the third quarter and early in the fourth to help the Sea Kings preserve their 2-1 lead, then scored from outside to put his team ahead by two goals with 4:28 remaining in the game.

Wilson withstood Lake Forest El Toro’s third-quarter comeback and pulled away to win the other semifinal, 13-11, at Newport Harbor.

The Chargers (23-8) rallied from an 8-4 deficit early in the second half and tied the score, 9-9, on a man-advantage goal by Chris Allen with 12 seconds left in the third quarter.

Wilson (30-0) moved back ahead on Thomas Hale’s team-high sixth goal of the game, then took an 11-9 lead on Clint Wilson’s goal. The Chargers twice cut the lead to one, but the Bruins went ahead, 13-11, on a goal by Matt Norris with 2:57 remaining.

-- Dan Arritt

Jee Hee Hwang of Lake Balboa Birmingham and Granada Hills repeated as City Section girls’ golf champions at Balboa Golf Course in Encino.

Hwang, a senior, shot five-over-par 77 to win the individual title by one shot over Maria Lamela of Carson. Lamela, the 2000 champion, was runner-up for the second year in a row.

Hwang finished with a double bogey and two bogeys in her last three holes but held on to defeat Lamela, who shot even-par 35 on the back nine.

Granada Hills dominated the team event, shooting a four-player score of 355 to win by 54 shots over Chatsworth. Lucy Davies led the the Highlanders with a 79 and Alyson Golditch shot 82. The team score was 95 strokes better than the 450 Granada Hills shot to win last year.

Granada Hills and Chatsworth advance to the CIF-WSCGA finals Dec. 3 at the SCGA Members Club in Murrieta. The top 10 individuals also advance.

-- Peter Yoon