Evans reign opens with a bang

Bryce Alderton

Any anxiety associated with Mike Evans’ first game as Corona del Mar

High’s boys water polo coach was quickly extinguished by a simple

philosophy: executing the game plan.

The host Sea Kings scored three first-period goals and contained

Capistrano Valley enough to post a 7-2 nonleague victory in both

team’s opener Tuesday at CdM High.

“There are always first-game jitters, but we did well,” Evans

said. “We played good, heads-up ball today with the steals ... the

defense did a good job closing the gaps and guys put the ball away

when they had a shot in front of the cage.

“They did what I wanted to see.”

Senior Daniel Niehenke and junior Spencer Pirdy scored two goals

each with single tallies coming from Chris Crawford, Jacob Murphy and

two-meter man, Thomas Pearson. Pirdy added two assists as CdM turned

loose on the counterattack, frequently beating Cougar defenders down

the pool to secure shots on goal. CdM outshot Capo Valley, 32-19.

“Our strategy was to get up on [Capo Valley], so we could figure

out what we could get away with,” Evans said. “I told them let’s not

give [Capo Valley] any life, give them no goals.”

The Sea Kings took advantage of one of only two 6-on-5 advantages

in the first period, when Pirdy broke up a Cougar pass and threw an

outlet to sophomore Tom Money, who then fed Niehenke for the game’s

first goal with six minutes, 29 seconds remaining in the period.

Pirdy fed Crawford on the counterattack a little more than two

minutes later for another goal, giving the Sea Kings a 2-0 cushion.

Capo cut the lead to 4-2 with 5:21 to go in the third period when

Kyle Sabine fired a shot into the goal from one meter out on one of

the Cougars’ 12 man-advantage scenarios. The Cougars would get no

closer as CdM scored three unanswered goals to close out the game.

Junior Gaston Sanford, playing first varsity season, sparkled in

goal for the Sea Kings. He made nine saves, two at point-blank range.

CdM defenders converged on Capo Valley attackers like piranhas,

knocking balls out of their hands, deflecting centering passes and

stopping progress toward the goal.

To illustrate CdM’s determination on defense Tuesday, senior

Travis Hersh sprinted back and grabbed the ball out of an opponent’s

hand as he rose an arm to take a shot late in the second quarter and

CdM leading 4-1. The defensive pressure continued in the second half

with CdM forcing a shot-clock violation. Niehenke sprinted up the

pool with control of the ball past the last defender and skipped a

shot that glanced off the goal’s left side, but found the cage,

giving CdM a 6-2 advantage with 4:43 remaining.

Money led the way with four steals while Pirdy and sophomore Kyle

Hersh each had three.

“We have a lot of depth with a lot of younger guys to go to,” said

Evans, who was hired Aug. 25 following the resignation of Tim Salvino

two weeks earlier. Salvino led CdM to the CIF Southern Section

Division I final -- a 14-11 loss to Long Beach Wilson -- in his only

season last fall. CdM also defeated Capo Valley in its opener last

season, a 7-3 decision.

Evans said he hasn’t seen many of the teams the Sea Kings will

face this season, meaning frequent changes in personnel are expected.

“But that is something you do all season,” he said. “They all

learn real fast.”

*--*

Nonleague

CdM 7, Capo Valley 2 Score by Quarters

CV 0 1 1 0 -- 2

CdM 3 1 1 2 -- 7

CV - T. Tayenaka 1, Sabine 1. Saves -- Nahoul 14.

CdM -- Pirdy 2, Niehenke 2, Crawford 1, Murphy 1,

Pearson 1. Saves -- Sanford 9

*--*