Sea Kings fall prey to Griffins

Steve Virgen

Time seems to be the best remedy for the Corona del Mar High boys

water polo team. Problem is the Sea Kings don’t have that much time

as they are 11 games into the season and league play starts

Wednesday.

CdM (3-8) ran out of time against visiting Los Alamitos, which

built a 4-0 lead and held on for a 7-5 nonleague victory Saturday. It

was the Sea Kings’ fourth straight loss and a setback that could set

off projections that this might be a rebuilding year for CdM.

“We’re going through a learning curve,” said Mike Evans, the Sea

Kings’ first-year coach. “We’ve played against some of the best

teams, and we actually have played better against them. We’re cutting

our teeth. But the kids are getting more playing time. They are

definitely trying hard. We just made some bad decisions [Saturday].”

The Sea Kings failed to cover Los Al senior Kyle Dandoy, who

scored three goals on counterattacks in the opening 2:07. Kevin

Guerin also scored for the Griffins with 3:31 left in the first

quarter to put Los Al up, 4-0.

Senior Daniel Niehenke broke CdM’s scoreless stint after taking a

pass from senior Travis Hersh and putting it away, 2:47 before

halftime. However, a minute later, the Griffins scored on an

extra-man opportunity to regain their four-goal lead.

With 40 seconds left in the first half, CdM junior Thomas Pearson

scored shortly after drawing an ejection for a six-on-five chance.

In the second half, the Sea Kings came within two three times, but

the Griffins answered with a goal twice and then time ran out.

Sophomore Jacob Murphy, Niehenke and junior Bryan Buhagiar scored

one goal each in the second half. Junior goalie Gaston Sanford

recorded 10 saves.

“We had some turnovers at the wrong time,” Evans said. “The key to

this game was turnovers.”

With just under five minutes remaining, CdM sophomore Kyle Hersh

stole the ball and began the counterattack with a pass to sophomore

Tom Money, who then passed to Buhagiar.

Buhagiar connected on an outside shot, but Los Al still led, 7-5

with 4:44 left. The Sea Kings did not come any closer, despite

grabbing a bit of momentum from stuffing the Griffins on an extra-man

chance with 3:38 left.

CdM, ranked No. 7 in CIF Southern Section Division I, opens

Pacific Coast League play Wednesday at 3:15 p.m., when the Sea Kings

host Laguna Beach.

*--*

NONLEAGUE

Los Alamitos 7, Corona del Mar 5

Score by Quarters

Los Alamitos 4 1 2 0 -- 7

CdM 0 2 2 1 -- 5

Los Alamitos -- Dandoy 3, Guerin 1, Brook 1,

Snyder 1, Davidson 1. Saves -- Draznin 9, Simon 1.

CdM -- Niehenke 2, Pearson 1, Murphy 1, Buhagiar

1. Saves -- Sanford 10.

*--*