Boys’ Water Polo: Sage at home on road

The Sage Hill School boys’ water polo team is still a year away from having a pool on-campus, so the Lightning are again playing their home games at University High this season.

But there are only two of those on the schedule. The four teams in the Academy League are playing each other just once this season, instead of twice like last year.

So the Lightning will have to be road warriors as they head into their 2016 campaign, which begins Sept. 13 at Kennedy.

Sage Hill lost a lot to graduation, including its two leading scorers, Chris Wan and Harry Miller, as well as goalie Rachael Jaffe. Coach Tom Norton said he expects junior Zane Drobenko, a utility player who competed with the CdM club this summer, to step up and have a big season.

Senior Wyatt Manolakas, at 6-foot-4, will be a load at two meters, while senior left-hander Justin Sung and sophomore Adam Watson are also key returners. Paige Solaas, who with the graduation of Jaffe is the only girl left in the program, also is back for her senior year.

Webb won the Academy League last year, but Norton hopes his team can at least finish top-two and qualify for the postseason again. The Lightning will have to find a goalie for the early part of the season, he said, as junior Miles Wilson currently is out with a broken hand.

Road games against former Orange Coast League rivals like Costa Mesa (Sept. 20) and Estancia (Oct. 4) also highlight Sage Hill’s schedule.

Sage Hill Boys’ Water Polo

League: Academy

CIF Division: 4

Head Coach: Tom Norton (11th year)

Coaching Staff: Teddy Bandaruk (assistant coach)

2015 overall record: 13-12

2015 league record: 4-2 (2nd place)

2015 CIF results: Reached first round

Returning starters: Four

Returning with honors: Wyatt Manolakas (second-team all-league, Sr.); Zane Drobenko (second-team all-league, Jr.); Adam Watson (second-team all-league, Soph).

Coach’s Take: “We play really good together, I think that’s one of our strengths. We’re kind of across the board, experience-wise, with two or three seniors, a couple of juniors, a couple of sophomores. But they do play well together.”

One to Watch: “Junior Zane Drobenko is maturing,” Norton said. “He was kind of in the shadows last year with [graduates] Harry Miller and Chris Wan [on the team], so I’m thinking he’s going to have a breakout year. He’ll lead the team in all categories.”

Schedule

September

13 - at Kennedy

19 - at Tesoro (3:15 p.m.)

20 - at Costa Mesa

26 - Newport Rib Classic tournament, TBD

27 - at Godinez (6 p.m.)

30 - Newport Rib Classic tournament, TBD

October

1 - Newport Rib Classic tournament, TBD

4 - at Estancia

7-8 - Servite tournament, TBD

14 - at Saddleback

18 - at Whitney*

19 - Los Amigos

21-22 - Ocean View tournament, TBD

25 - Webb*

November

1 - at Crean Lutheran*

*denotes league game

All home games at University High

All games at 3 p.m., unless noted