Water polo: Santa Margarita adds splash of class

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For all its success in the water, Santa Margarita’s aquatics program won’t have a real home-field advantage until Friday, when the school christens its new 50-meter pool with a 3:30 p.m. water polo match against Huntington Beach. The game was originally scheduled for Wednesday but was moved later in the week.

The school has often worked out of Saddleback College, going well off campus to practice and compete. But that’s a thing of the past. Now, the boys’ water polo team hopes to add its name to the list of programs at Santa Margarita that have won Southern Section titles, including girls’ water polo and girls’ swimming.

Based on the most recent Southern Section rankings, the Eagles still have a ways to go in Division II, but this is the kind of infrastructure that can kick-start a program and provide dividends.

The team had its first practice in the pool on Monday.

For this and other water polo notes, read Dan Albano’s column.

- Martin Henderson