Rivals ready for Battle for the Bell girls’ water polo game

The Battle for the Bell girls’ water polo game is always an intense one, even if the results have been decidedly one-sided over the years.

The Costa Mesa High girls’ water polo team has never lost to Estancia in the rivalry game. The Mustangs will be trying to keep that run going when they play host to the Eagles in the Orange Coast League finale Wednesday at 3:15 p.m.

Both teams are sharing the Mustangs’ pool this season, but Wednesday’s game is a designated home game for Costa Mesa. The Mustangs (13-14, 2-1 in league) can clinch outright second place in the league with a victory as they prepare for the CIF Southern Section Division 5 playoffs.

Estancia (6-6, 1-2) needs to beat Costa Mesa to clinch a Division 6 playoff berth, though the Eagles could get in anyway. A loss would mean the Eagles finish below .500 and are ineligible for an at-large berth. But it would also likely create a three-way tie for third place in league with Saddleback and Godinez, assuming Saddleback loses to Laguna Beach on Wednesday. The teams could have tiebreaker games later in the week to determine the third and final guaranteed playoff berth from the league, Estancia coach Mitch White said.

As of now, that isn’t the concern of White. He wants to beat the rival Mustangs to clinch the berth. Senior Annie Mitchell and sophomore Sydni White have been playmakers for the Eagles, though depth is an issue.

“I’ve got seven players,” Mitch White said. “If they’re all feeling good, we do well. If one or two isn’t on their game, I don’t really have anyone to put in.”

White said he plans to pull up a couple of players from the Eagles’ junior varsity team for Wednesday’s game.

Costa Mesa, meanwhile, has a young team. Dustin Serrano, who coaches his alma mater with his twin brother, Cody, said the Mustangs start two sophomores in center Taiuta Uiagalelei and utility player Sey Currie, as well as freshman Michelle Kiefer.

Junior Sofia Rice, a three-year starter, has anchored the Mustangs offensively and defensively. She leads the Mustangs in goals (75), assists (57) and steals (60).

Serrano said that Rice has shown the same kind of leadership that another standout junior, Caedmon Fisher, has displayed with the Costa Mesa boys’ water polo program.

Serrano anticipates a good game against Estancia. Last year, the Mustangs earned an 11-7 victory at the Eagles’ pool.

“We expect [the Eagles] are going to come out and try to get the win,” he said. “We don’t expect them to roll over.”

matthew.szabo@latimes.com

Twitter: @mjszabo