Mustangs looking good

STEVE VIRGEN

As the girls high school water polo regular season nears its end,

here’s a noteworthy prediction: For the first time since the 1997-98

season when the CIF Southern Section sanctioned the sport, three

Newport-Mesa District high schools will win their respective league

titles, outright.

Costa Mesa High is well on its way to winning the Golden West

League title and joining Newport Harbor (Sea View League) and Corona

del Mar (Pacific Coast League) as champions. Last year, the Mustangs

were tri-champions, but this season they have the right stuff to be

the outright title-winners.

They are led by junior Sarah Bowman, but up-and-coming sophomore

Chandra Malapira has also been contributing heavily for the Mustangs.

Senior goalie Quyen Nguyen battled the flu early in the season,

but displayed strength throughout her sickness, which turned out to

be a great example for her teammates, Costa Mesa Coach Tim Postiff

said.

The Mustangs only other senior, Jessica Steenhard, is one of the

squad’s better scoring options and junior Allyson Harris also makes

Costa Mesa difficult to stop.

Estancia found that out Wednesday, losing to the Mustangs, 17-2.

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It might seem silly, but a certain superstition has been working

for the Mustangs in their past three victories. The team’s

scorekeeper, Kyle Thorsness, who plays for the boys team, has been

wearing a Gumby figurine on his wrist. The small, green doll is

wrapped in his wristband and he says it brings the team good luck.

Thorsness plans to include Pokey, Gumby’s best pal, in the CIF

Southern Section playoffs, he said.

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The top male water polo players in the country will be competing

this weekend in the first semifinal tournament of the 2004 Premier

League.

The Southern Pacific Zone competition of the Premier League will

take place at Cypress College Friday through Sunday.

The league, now in its fifth season, consists of eight teams,

including the Newport Water Polo Foundation, which is directed by

Coach Ted Newland.

The top six teams from the Premier League will qualify for the

American Water Polo League finals, April 23-25, with the location

tentatively set at the USA Water Polo National Training Center in Los

Alamitos.

The NWPF won the Premier League in 2001. Last year, the Los

Angeles Water Polo Club took home the title.