Local duo helps Cal

Farrel South and Luca Cupido were plenty used to scoring big goals during their time with the Newport Harbor High boys’ water polo team.

On the next level, they have now helped deliver an NCAA men’s water polo national championship to UC Berkeley.

South and Cupido each scored goals late in the game as Cal upset top-ranked USC, 11-8, to win the national title Sunday at Cal’s Spieker Aquatics Complex.

It’s the Golden Bears’ 14th national title in program history, and first since 2007. Cupido was one of four Cal players named to the All-NCAA Tournament first team.

Cal (23-4), which also has sophomore Corona del Mar High product Matt Sherburne on its roster, owned the overtime against USC for its second straight extra-session victory, including a 9-8 victory over defending national champion UCLA in the semifinals.

South gave the Bears a 9-8 lead with a minute left in the first overtime period with his goal. Then Cupido, the Olympian, scored from long distance at the buzzer ending that first overtime period to give Cal a 10-8 lead.

Cupido also scored a goal in the fourth quarter that tied the score at 5-5.

Tournament MVP Lazar Andric, the Cal goalie, held off the Trojans and made 14 saves in the title game.

Newport Coast native and Mater Dei High product James Walters was a leader for USC (24-2), which lost in the NCAA final for the third straight year. Other locals on the Trojans’ roster included freshmen Nick Silvers and Luke Wyatt, also from Mater Dei, along with CdM products Ben Brooks and Brendan Hack.

— Matt Szabo