CdM runs out of gas

Steve Virgen

Corona del Mar High made progress in its matchup against visiting

Harvard-Westlake on Saturday. But the Sea Kings’ boys water polo

season has come to an end.

Trailing by only two goals to CIF Southern Section Division I top

seed Harvard-Westlake at halftime, CdM ran afoul in the second half,

while the Wolverines stepped it up and left the Sea Kings behind with

a 10-2 loss.

Harvard-Westlake (25-2) advances to the semifinals and will face

El Toro, which defeated Newport Harbor Saturday morning.

The Sea Kings (8-19), co-champions of the Pacific Coast League,

were down, 3-1, at halftime and converted 0 for 5 on extra-man

opportunities. CdM finished 1 for 9 on the power play.

“They played a great first half,” CdM Coach Mike Evans said of his

players. “[Harvard] took advantage of our mistakes [in the second

half]. There are no ‘what ifs’ ... We just got beat by a good team.”

CdM sophomore Jacob Murphy scored with 1:03 left in the first

quarter on a counterattack and on a pass from junior Thomas Pearson

to catch the Wolverines, 1-1. But Harvard scored with 13 seconds

remaining in the first quarter.

Gaston Sanford, the Sea Kings’ junior goalie, was sharp in the

first quarter, collecting eight saves. He finished with 15.

The Wolverines outscored CdM, 5-1, in the third quarter, scoring

two power-play goals and two at four meters. Junior Eric Vreeland led

Harvard with five goals.

Pearson scored with 1:34 left in the third quarter on a

six-on-five opportunity, in which he drew the ejection.

*--*

CIF Division I Quarterfinal

Harvard-Westlake 10, Corona del Mar 2

Score by Quarters

Harvard 2 1 5 2 -- 10

CdM 1 0 1 0 -- 2

Harvard -- Vreeland 5, Flacks 2, Hindle-Katel 1,

Zephel 1, Schwimer 1. Saves -- Connely 10, Rappel

1. CdM -- Murphy 1, Pearson 1. Saves -- Sanford

15, Anthony 3.

*--*