Bergeson answers call

CORONA DEL MAR — Max Bergeson and his father worked out a deal. Garth Bergeson pays for his son’s cellphone bill, only if Max picks up whenever he calls.

While in the water Tuesday, the younger Bergeson answered the most important call.

Not from dad, from the Corona del Mar High boys’ water polo team.

Bergeson gave the Sea Kings a cushion by scoring with 47 seconds left against Long Beach Wilson. The goal proved to be the game-winner in a 14-13 nonleague victory at home.

The senior with the lethal left-handed shot finished with six goals. More importantly, Bergeson added a crucial steal late, as CdM stayed perfect at 3-0.

The match was far from ideal in the second half for the Sea Kings, ranked No. 5 in the CIF Southern Section Division I preseason coaches’ poll.

CdM started on fire and took a 7-3 lead into halftime. Unable to maintain the first half’s intensity, the Sea Kings allowed Long Beach Wilson (1-2) back in.

The Bruins cut the deficit to one goal twice in the third quarter, putting the pressure on the hosts.

“I guess we just came out a little complacent in the second half,” said Bergeson, the Newport-Mesa Dream Team Player of the Year last season. “It’s never good to do that.

“Everybody has downtime during a game.”

Entering the final quarter, CdM appeared headed for its first loss of the year.

With the momentum turning to Long Beach Wilson’s side, the Sea Kings held on to a 9-8 advantage. Chase Watson and Bergeson pushed the lead back to three goals after they each scored in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter.

Seeing Blake Terry early in the quarter receive his third ejection hurt CdM. The team was already without Will Havercroft. CdM Coach Barry O’Dea said Havercroft went to the emergency room at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian after he “choked on a chicken bone at lunchtime.”

CdM was about to choke one away in the pool.

The two teams went back and forth. Michael Liao scored his third goal to give the Sea Kings a 12-9 lead, only to see the Bruins make it a one-goal game again after back-to-back goals.

Justin Papa’s third goal extended CdM’s lead to 13-11 with 2:32 to play. A fast Long Beach Wilson goal kept it close.

The defense stopped a Long Beach Wilson power-play opportunity with 72 seconds left. With the ball and a 30-second shot clock to work with, O’Dea advised his Sea Kings during a timeout.

“Don’t force anything,” O’Dea said. “Let’s run that shot clock down until it is red.”

When the shot clock showed five seconds, Bergeson struck at the right moment. Bergeson said he heard Long Beach Wilson Coach Tony Martinho tell his players to refrain from fouling him.

Bergeson recorded his sixth goal with a quick shot, putting the Sea Kings ahead, 14-12, with 47 seconds remaining.

Eight seconds later, Long Beach Wilson trimmed the lead back to one. The next time the Bruins touched the ball in the offensive end with nine seconds left, Bergeson ended their best chance of tying the match.

A pass went left, toward CdM’s bench, and Bergeson raced after it. He held the ball as time expired.

The Sea Kings celebrated. Dad did as well.

“We still have a lot to work on,” said Bergeson, who wants to play college water polo in Southern California, possibly at UCLA, where his father helped the Bruins win two NCAA titles in 1971 and 1972. “I really like how we’ve come out in the beginning of the season, but we can’t get complacent. We have to keep progressing.”

Bergeson is doing his part, answering the call when his team needs him.

At the end of the match, Garth called his son and Bergeson immediately answered.

“That’s what they’re for,” Bergeson said of cellphones.