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JSerra and Newport Harbor received their starting coordinates Saturday for the CIF-SS boys water polo playoffs, and if matches go according to the seedings, the Orange County powerhouses are headed for another collision.
This time, however, it would happen at a different location.
JSerra (24-0) and Newport Harbor (24-3) earned the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds, respectively, for the eight-team Open Division playoffs, which begins Thursday and conclude at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut on Nov. 11.
The college’s new, multi-pool aquatics complex, which features a seating capacity of 2,500, a video board and lighting, will host all seven divisional finals as the section shifts away from the Woollett Aquatics Center in Irvine.
Woollett, with its two 50-meter pools, has hosted the boys water polo finals since 2007 after the section departed storied Belmont Plaza in Long Beach.
The venue change surfaced Saturday as the section released its playoff pairings.
Last season, Newport Harbor claimed its second consecutive Open Division crown by edging JSerra 10-9 in the final.
But this fall, JSerra is 2-0 against Newport Harbor with victories in the finals of Delfina USA Classic (10-9 in sudden-death overtime) and North-South Challenge (15-9).
JSerra will open the playoffs Thursday by playing host to Trinity League rival Mater Dei. The Lions are expected to be without standout Ryder Dodd, a USC-committed senior who is playing with the U.S. national team at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile.
Newport Harbor will open against visiting Santa Margarita. The Eagles played their way into the Open Division by edging Mater Dei 14-13 on Wednesday.
Corona del Mar secured the No. 5 seed in the Open Division and will play at No. 4 Oaks Christian on Thursday. The teams split their two matches.
Mission League foes Loyola and Harvard-Westlake will clash in the other first-round game Thursday, just eight days after their league showdown.
Santa Margarita’s surge dropped Huntington Beach into Division 1, where it is the top seed.
The Oilers (18-10) are seeking their first section crown but No. 2 seed and Surf League rival Laguna Beach (15-12) and No. 3 Foothill could stand in the way.
Huntington Beach beat Laguna Beach 15-10 in overtime earlier this week in a tie-breaking match for second place in the Surf League.
Orange County’s other high seeds includes undefeated Pacific Coast League champion Beckman (No. 3 in Division 2), North Hills champion Canyon (No. 2 in Division 3), Woodbridge and La Habra (No. 2 and No. 4 in Division 4) and upstart Anaheim (No. 3 in Division 6).
All five schools are seeking their first section title.
Please send water polo news to Dan Albano at dalbano@scng.com or @ocvarsityguy on Twitter
