Streaking Sea Kings No. 2 seed

Barry Faulkner

A late-season surge by the Corona del Mar High boys water polo team

helped the Sea Kings earn the No. 2 seed in the CIF Southern Section

Division I playoffs, for which pairings were released Monday.

The Pacific Coast League champion Sea Kings (17-8), winners of 10

of their last 11, open Wednesday at home against Laguna Hills at 3:15

p.m.

Newport Harbor (17-10), the Sea View League runner-up ranked No. 5

in the final CIF Division I poll, also opens at home Wednesday,

playing host to Mission Viejo at 3:15 p.m.

Golden West League champion Costa Mesa (19-5) opens Division II

play Thursday against visiting La Habra at a site to be determined.

The Mustangs’ first choice is Estancia High, but Costa Mesa Coach

Tim Postiff said he would not receive word on the availability of the

Eagles’ pool until today.

Sage Hill (13-8), a freelance entry in Division VI, visits No.

4-seeded Chadwick today at 3:15 p.m. in the Division VI first round.

CdM, under first-year coach Sam Bailey, has ridden its strong

defense to late-season wins over Foothill, ranked No. 2 in CIF

Division I at the time, and Harvard-Westlake, ranked No. 3 at the

time.

CdM entered the Oct. 29-30 Tru West memorial cup invitational in

San Jose ranked No. 4 in the division.

“We have a lot of kids having fun and there’s a lot of

enthusiasm,” Bailey said of the recent strong play. “We have a lot of

momentum and we believe in ourselves.”

The Sea Kings were eliminated in the Division I quarterfinals to

finish 8-19 last season, but have rebounded with leadership from

Bailey and the likes of senior captain Thomas Pearson.

Pearson, a two-meter standout, and senior goalie Gaston Sanford,

are returning first-team all-league performers for the Sea Kings.

CdM, bidding for its 13th section title, also figures to face

strong competition from top-seeded Long Beach Wilson, third-seeded

Foothill and fourth-seeded Harvard-Westlake.

Long Beach Wilson has beaten the Sea Kings in all three of their

meetings this season, the latest an 8-7 triumph in the title game in

San Jose.

Laguna Hills (16-8) finished third in the Sea View League, behind

Foothill and Newport Harbor.

The Sailors, coached by Jason Lynch, are looking to better last

season’s Division I quarterfinal elimination. The Tars have, in fact,

lost the last three seasons in the quarterfinals. Newport has won 11

section crowns.

Lynch, in his fourth season at Harbor, has called this his

most-talented squad.

Junior Clay Jorth, a second-team All-CIF honoree a year ago,

provides scoring punch that is also bolstered by, among others,

freshman Nate Castillo, junior Brett Auer and junior Carson Hill.

Senior goalie Michael Robinson is another stalwart.

Mission Viejo (20-9) finished third in the South Coast League,

behind El Toro and San Clemente.

Costa Mesa, ranked No. 10 in the final Division II poll, meets an

11-7 La Habra unit that finished second in the Freeway League and was

ranked No. 9 in the final division poll.