Girls’ water polo: Harvard-Westlake on the brink of its first CIF title
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I asked Harvard-Westlake Coach Larry Felix what it felt like to be one game away from the program’s first CIF title and his answer typified the character and quiet confidence his team has displayed all season.
‘We’ve been ranked No. 1 from the start and they’ve been ranked No. 2,’ said Felix, whose team faces Arroyo Grande Saturday afternoon in the Division IV final at Heritage Park in Irvine. ‘There’s 28 minutes left in our season. If we play the way we’re capable of playing I like our chances.’
Led by top scorer Chelsea de Goede, the second-seeded Eagles dispatched Louisville 8-3 in Wednesday’s semifinal. Harvard-Westlake has weapons of its own in USC-bound captain Nadia Dan, sophomore two-meter player Wendy Perez and freshman utility Ashley Grossman.
The top-seeded Wolverines beat Rio Mesa, 9-3, Wednesday at Pasadena City College. That followed a 14-5 quarterfinal rout of Glendale in which five different players scored at least twice.
‘It sounds cliche but Rio Mesa really was a story of two games,’ Felix said. ‘In the first quarter we did a lot of uncharacteristic things. We fell behind, then took the lead, then gave up a goal nine seconds later. Starting in the second quarter we dictated the tempo and outscored them 6-0 from there.’
Harvard-Westlake and Arroyo Grande didn’t meet head-to-head this season. Both beat Mira Costa and Louisville and lost to Edison. But Harvard-Westlake holds victories over Mater Dei and Ventura while each of those schools beat Arroyo Grande. The Eagles lost to Cabrillo in last year’s final while Harvard-Westlake is making its first trip to the finals since 2002.
‘I got a chance to see a few of their games at the Irvine tournament in late January,’ said Felix, a former U.S. national team player. ‘So at least I have some idea of their players’ abilities and their tendencies. I can’t wait.’
-- Steve Galluzzo