CIF Southern Section 3-A Water Polo : Third-Seeded San Clemente Gets a Scare, but Wins, 9-4

Third-seeded San Clemente High School got a scare from unseeded Gahr Saturday in the second round of the CIF Southern Section 3-A water polo playoffs at San Clemente.

Gahr took a 3-2 lead in the first quarter before the Tritons scored five second-quarter goals en route to a 9-4 victory and a berth in Tuesday’s quarterfinals against Santa Monica.

“We played real tentatively in the first quarter, and it showed in the score,” said Steve Yancey, San Clemente coach. “We finally started to play our defense (in the second quarter) and played the way we can play the last three quarters and outscored them, 7-1.”

Greg Farrier scored four goals to lead the Tritons (18-6), Troy Simington scored two goals and Mike Burke, Brad Ashbaugh and Tad Morris each added one. Greg Cohen had 10 saves.

In other action:

El Dorado 21, Dos Pueblos 10--The second-seeded Golden Hawks, who have scored 46 goals in two playoff games, continue to breeze, and will meet Loyola, Del Rey League champion, in the quarterfinals Tuesday.

Mike Tillman and John Evans each score four goals for El Dorado (22-4) and Greg Clark added three. El Dorado gained a 5-2 first-quarter lead, but Dos Pueblos tied the score at 5-5 in the second.

El Toro 12, Buena 3--John Dennis scored six goals to lead the top-seeded Chargers (21-7) in a rout of the Bulldogs at El Toro. El Toro, which was ranked No. 1 in the final 3-A poll, will play Bay League champion Mira Costa in a quarterfinal game Tuesday.