Girls water polo: CdM grabs a share of PCL crown

Joseph Boo

CORONA DEL MAR - Corona del Mar High’s girls water polo team didn’t

waste a lot of time or opportunities in wrapping up a CIF Southern

Section playoff spot Wednesday.

In the last regular-season game for both CdM and Pacific Coast League

rival Costa Mesa, the Sea Kings scored early and often as they dispatched

the visiting Mustangs, 11-3, to grab a three-way share of the league

crown with Laguna Beach and University. The win also clinches an

automatic CIF Division IV playoff berth.

“This was a very important game for us,” CdM Coach John Vargas said. “Our

girls realized that and came out focused.”

Costa Mesa (7-18, 1-3 in league) simply had no chance with CdM (15-11,

3-1) getting nine six-on-five opportunities. The Sea Kings, ranked No. 5

in Division IV, were startlingly efficient with the one-player advantage,

converting six times.

CdM built an 8-0 lead in the first half, scoring on its first six shots.

Mesa finally got on the scoreboard when Erin Bayes took a pass from Jan

Grubisich and got her first of two six-on-five goals. The Mustangs had

all three of their goals with a one-player advantage. Denee Heinrichs

hooked up with Dana Steenhard with a pass and the latter accounted for

Mesa’s third score.

Freshman Danielle Carlson, coming off an eight-goal game against Coronado

Saturday in the Irvine Southern California Championships Tournament, led

CdM again with four goals and two assists.

The Sea Kings’ top four scorers of the season came through, accounting

for all 11 goals. Senior Hayley Hapeman had CdM’s first two goals and

finished with three scores and two assists. Melinda Tucker, CdM’s

second-leading scorer, had two goals. Christina Hewko scored twice, and

contributed three assists.

“Our offense starts with defense,” Vargas said. “The girls did a good job

causing turnovers. That dictated the tempo of the game, and that goes

along with getting counters and good shots.”

“Our passing was bad,” Costa Mesa Coach Eric Berg said. “We made too many

bad passes and turnovers. You can’t give that many opportunities to a

team capable of taking advantage.”

CdM now waits for today’s coin flip to determine whether it will be a No.

1,2 or 3 seed in the playoffs. The brackets will be announced Sunday.

“It all depends on how that flip goes and where we land,” Vargas said.

“If we get a third seed, then we have to play a No. 1 from another

league. Hopefully, that won’t happen.”

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Corona del Mar 11, Costa Mesa 3 Score by quarters

Costa Mesa 0 1 1 1 - 3

Corona del Mar 3 5 3 0 - 11

Costa Mesa - Bayes 2, Steenhard 1. Saves - C. Petersen 9.

Corona del Mar - Carlson 4, Hapeman 3, Tucker 2, Hewko 2. Saves -

Hendrickson 6.