Sailors dominate foe, 20-8

Bryce Alderton

Like a well-oiled machine, the Newport Harbor High girls water polo

team ran on the highest of octane fuel, leaving visiting Montebello

at the starting line and running on fumes.

The Sailors dismantled visiting Montebello, 20-8, in the

quarterfinals of the CIF Southern Section Division I Playoffs

Saturday, gaining momentum for a drive that, for them, will end in a

championship Saturday at Belmont Plaza in Long Beach.

“We’re getting pumped up, ready for the finals,” said Newport

defender Raelyn Ritchie, who scored once and had two steals in two

quarters of action before Coach Bill Barnett emptied the bench for

most of the second half.

Sophomore Ashling Taylor gave her team a lift with four

second-half goals (all three of Newport’s in the final quarter), and

became the only player to score in a frosh-soph, junior varsity and

varsity game this season.

“She’ll be competing for a varsity spot next year,” Barnett said.

“She did a great job today.”

That could be said about many Newport players. Jenna Murphy, bound

for UCLA next season, also had four goals, all in the first half. Her

initial score, a four-meter penalty shot 18 seconds into the game,

was quickly followed by two goals from Paige Lansing and single

tallies from Ritchie and junior Jessica Ball.

Ball positioned herself mere feet away from the right side of the

goal to receive a pass from senior Annie Wight, and shot the ball off

the right post and into the left side of the net. That was Ball’s

second goal and gave the hosts a 7-2 lead early in the second

quarter.

Sophomore Anne Belden was busy in the second quarter, dishing two

assists and scoring two of her three goals, as she often led

Newport’s counterattack charge.

“Our counter has been very strong,” Barnett said. “As long as we

keep that going, we’ll be all right.”

Carolyn Conway and Ashley Parole each scored twice in a six-goal

third period for Newport, ranked second to undefeated Foothill in

Division I. Parole assisted on Conway’s (defender draped around her)

second goal.

Assists in the third were also made by Katie Erickson, Peggy

Beebe, Alex Anderson and K.T. Adnoff. Jennifer Scharfe added an

assist and junior backup goalkeeper Kim Housepian relieved Terin

Cottam to make two saves in the final quarter. Cottam made five

saves.

“We came out strong and stayed strong the whole game,” Conway

said. “We tried to slow things down because sometimes we can get a

little ahead of ourselves.”

Ahead on the CIF trail lies a match with Santa Margarita (13-5,

ranked No. 3 in Division I) Wednesday at a site to be determined.

Conway looks forward to Wednesday’s game.

“Teamwork and our passing has gotten a lot better,” Conway sad. “I

don’t know how close it will be, but I know it will be a good game.”