Sea Kings are ready to rumble

Corona del Mar High girls’ water polo team tunes up for the CIF playoffs with a tough victory over Montebello.CORONA DEL MAR -- The Corona del Mar High girls’ water polo team could’ve scheduled an easier tuneup for the playoffs, but it couldn’t have asked for a better one.

Facing a tough Montebello team ranked No. 3 in CIF Southern Section Division I, the Sea Kings pulled away in the third period and won, 8-6, on Saturday afternoon. Camille Hewko scored two goals for Corona del Mar, the No. 1 team in Division II.

In a matchup of teams essentially locked into their playoff seedings, Montebello (21-7) gave the Sea Kings all they could handle. An aggressive team not afraid to push the ball, the Oilers hung tight with the home team and led twice in the first half before Katie Indvik tied the score at 3-3 just before halftime.

“We’ve played them on the last Saturday of the regular season the last three or four years,” CdM Coach Aaron Chaney said. “They’re not in our division and they’re very well-coached. Not being in our division, it’s a great challenge for us, win or lose, going into the playoffs.”

Corona del Mar (24-3) found the opening it needed at the start of the second half. With Priscilla Orozco -- Montebello’s best player -- on the bench and three reserves in the game for the Oilers, the Sea Kings scored on four of their first five possessions. Four different players scored for CdM during the stretch, all from different spots.

Those goals came in handy down the stretch, when the Oilers mounted a rally.

Hewko had to leave the game in the fourth period after picking up her third ejection. Orozco’s goal with 2:12 remaining made the score 8-6, and CdM turned the ball over on its next three possessions.

Fortunately for the Sea Kings, Montebello wasn’t able to get a good shot each time and the clock ran out.

“We had Hewko [disqualified] in the third quarter, but you can tell they know how to play without her in the lineup because they played real well,” Montebello Coach Kenny Clements said.

Pairings for the CIF Southern Section playoffs come out Monday afternoon, and Sea Kings players said they felt prepared.

“I still feel like there’s room for improvement with us, but we’ll be ready,” Hewko said.

Nonleague

Corona del Mar 8, Montebello 6

Score by Quarters