CdM storms back

An instant classic, and an epic comeback.

The Corona del Mar High boys’ water polo team scored eight goals Saturday night in the Battle of the Bay game before a packed house at CdM.

And the guy wearing cap No. 8 scored some of the biggest ones.

Senior Will Ueberroth had two goals in the final two minutes of regulation as the Sea Kings rallied to stun visiting Newport Harbor, 8-6 in overtime, and capture their third straight Battle of the Bay victory.

The game appeared over just moments before Ueberroth’s outburst, when Newport Harbor senior Connor Turnbow-Lindenstadt stunned his former team. Turnbow-Lindenstadt scored with 1:44 remaining in regulation, assisted by senior co-captain Cole Brosnan, to give the Sailors a 6-4 advantage.

Things looked bleak for the Sea Kings (6-3), ranked No. 5 in CIF Southern Section Division 1, but they kept working.

“That last minute and a half of the fourth quarter was just about courage,” CdM Coach Barry O’Dea said. “We talked to the guys about how their worst enemy was themselves if they got afraid. I told Ueberroth, ‘Do not be afraid tonight.’ If you miss, you’re going to miss. If you make it, that’s what you’re supposed to do.”

Turnbow-Lindenstadt was “rolled” from the game after his goal, when CdM junior Mitchell Cooper was struck in the face. CdM took advantage of the power play. Ueberroth, who also had a game-high seven steals, scored on a pass from Cooper to narrow the Sailors’ lead to 6-5 with 1:01 to play in regulation.

Then Ueberroth came up big defensively, recording a steal. The pass went inside, and CdM junior Henry Wilde (one goal and four steals) earned another exclusion with 36 seconds left.

After a timeout, the pass again went from Cooper to Ueberroth, who buried the shot to tie the score at 6-6 and send the game to overtime.

“During the timeout, we came together, halfway through the fourth,” Ueberroth said. “We just fell back on our training, and used the crowd to motivate us. It was such a big crowd … it’s such a great experience and such a great feeling of adrenaline, especially at our home pool. Our motto is, ‘We don’t lose at home,’ and we don’t lose at home.”

Wilde earned a penalty shot on the counterattack in the first three-minute overtime period. Senior co-captain Will Rodosky put it away with 1:37 remaining, and CdM had a 7-6 advantage.

“How about Wilde on that counterattack to tie the game up, drawing that five meter? It’s [overtime], he’s exhausted. It’s been a brutal game, and he gets out there and hustles. I was so proud of him for that.”

CdM then again used defense to create offense. Senior center Tamir Avital earned a steal and started back on the counterattack. He fed Cooper on the weak side, and the junior put it away to give the Sea Kings a two-goal advantage.

Neither team was able to score in the second overtime period.

Matt Moran-Flores made 14 big saves and had four steals for CdM. Avital also had a goal for the Sea Kings.

“I’ll remember this for the rest of my life, playing with these boys, the heart we shared and everything,” Moran-Flores said. “It was a great experience. It’s a good win, a good way to end. Yeah, it’s a great way to end.”

Turnbow-Lindenstadt and senior co-captain Nic Rimlinger each had two goals for the Sailors (7-4), ranked No. 7 in Division 1. Brosnan had a goal, two steals and two assists, and sophomore Jonathan Rimlinger also scored.

Junior goalie Max Sandberg had eight saves and made two steals for the Sailors.

Junior center Jackson Westerman drew seven exclusions for Newport Harbor, which went just two for eight on the power play. CdM converted two of six chances.

“We threw the ball away way too many times,” Newport Harbor Coach Ross Sinclair said. “We had too many turnovers, and we didn’t execute on six-on-five like we worked all week on. In the end, the name of the game is fundamentals, and we did not execute at all.”

The varsity game concluded an intense evening of Battle of the Bay games at CdM. CdM won the frosh/soph game, 5-4, before Newport Harbor won the junior varsity game by the same score.

Sophomore Jack White scored the winning goal for the Sailors in the JV Battle of the Bay.