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Newport Harbor’s boys water polo team is staying vigilant with the finer points of the game as it prepares to defend its CIF-SS Open Division title.
The two-time defending section champion showed that Wednesday with its denial of several entry passes into Huntington Beach center Ethan Spoon during the teams’ Surf League clash.
The Sailors’ defense produced multiple steals and deflections, and then watched as its perimeter shooters capitalize in a 16-7 victory at Huntington Beach High.
“Another small detail that is involved in the job,” Newport Harbor coach Ross Sinclair said of his team’s defense of entry passes. “We’re trying to create more time for us to react (and) continue to play defense. … Any (entry pass) that goes quick is probably not good.”
Newport Harbor (14-2, 3-0), ranked second in Orange County, delivered the convincing result despite playing without UCLA-committed center Peter Castillo, who was out sick, Sinclair said.
The Sailors delivered their most important defensive plays to break a 4-4 deadlock in the second period. The plays seized the momentum from Huntington Beach (14-6, 2-1), which played strong defense in the first half of the frame.
Senior Jack Wright made the first defensive play for Newport Harbor, tipping a pass from the point that goalie Luke Harris grabbed for a steal. On the ensuing possession, Mater Dei transfer attacker Kai Kaneko fired a perimeter shot in off the block to give Newport Harbor the lead for good at 5-4 with 2:14 left in the half.
Moments later, the Sailors’ Trey Smith stole an entry pass that turned into a perimeter strike by fellow senior Gavin Appeldorn with 1:28 left in the second.
In the third period, Newport Harbor pressed on the gas with seven goals to open a 13-6 lead.
One of the strikes came on a power play ignited by Connor Ohl, a transfer from Connecticut, who batted down an entry pass and drew an exclusion while racing on the counterattack. Coming out of a Newport Harbor timeout, the sophomore assisted the man-advantage goal by Appeldorn.
“I thought those guys, in particular, were really engaged (on defense),” Sinclair said, “and did a good job of trying to make it so there’s not a lot of space for those entry passes.”
Super defense by super-soph Connor Ohl of Newport Harbor, whose stat line included 3 goals, 2 steals, one assist and 4/4 on sprints @OCVswimdive 💦 pic.twitter.com/uAlohvZ6eF
— Dan Albano (@ocvarsityguy) October 5, 2023
Newport Harbor’s defense received nine saves from Harris, an emerging junior.
The Sailors’ perimeter shooting was sharp in the absence of Castillo. Appeldorn scored two of his match-high four goals from the outside while Ohl netted two of his three goals in the third from the perimeter.
Smith and sophomore left-hander Mason Netzer each added three goals.
Newport Harbor also continued to excel on the power play, finishing 5 for 8. The Sailors converted 6 of 11 chances in a 10-9 loss to JSerra in sudden-death overtime in the finals of the Delfina USA Classic on Saturday.
Sinclair was pleased with his team’s play in its first showdown with the No. 1 Lions but said the performance wasn’t a confidence booster.
“This group believes,” he said. “Regardless of the outcome of that game, it wouldn’t have mattered for us. It’s a process. … How do we get better from it, whether we win or lose. That’s kind of where we are at this point of the season.”
Huntington Beach, coming off a second-place finish in the S&R Sport tournament, recorded three thumping field blocks and a save from goalie Jay Pyle early in the second period as it erased a 4-2 deficit.
Spoon, a senior committed to UC Irvine, finished with two goals. The senior also drew all five of the Oilers’ exclusions and one penalty. Christian Hammonds and Logan Garwick each added two goals for the Oilers, who went 3 for 5 with the extra attacker.
In the Trinity League:
JSerra 14, Mater Dei 8: Ryder Dodd and Will Schneider each scored four goals to lead the visiting Lions (15-0, 2-0).
Please send water polo news to Dan Albano at dalbano@scng.com or @ocvarsityguy on X and Instagram
