HIGH SCHOOL WATER POLO PREVIEW : Harvard May Be King of Wild Frontier League

Rich Corso, goalkeeper coach for the 1984 Olympic water polo team, took over the Harvard High program last spring after 10 years as an assistant coach at UCLA. His first task: Get Harvard, and Valley water polo in general, up from the bottom of the tank.

This week’s Southern Section water polo poll is filled with Orange County schools; not one Valley team is ranked in the top 10.

“I’m going to Orange County to play because that’s where the better talent is,” Corso said. “In Newport and Corona, there’s a strong tradition.”

Part of the reason for the imbalance is the many youth programs in Orange County. Such programs are just beginning here. Tucked away in Simi Valley is the area’s only junior program. Royal High Coach Steve Snyder oversees teams of 10-, 12- and 15-year-olds. Elsewhere, there is a lack of coaches and pools.

“The Orange County schools play it like soccer or Pop Warner football,” Newbury Park Coach Jack Doman said. “In our community there isn’t an opportunity. You have to have a coach that has a real desire and doesn’t mind giving up every Saturday and taking crummy pool hours.”

Said Crespi Coach Jeff Thornton: “I have to rent a facility. It’s really hard. It’s a war out here trying to get kids. I’ve got one kid whose AAU coach is telling him not to play water polo because it’ll ruin his stroke.”

Corso, who plans to start a club program at the junior high level, welcomed 63 players to the high school program this fall. The seniors are goalie Mark Patterson, Ivan El-Sayed and left-side driver Fred Brende. El-Sayed’s versatility makes him valuable as a scorer and defensive player.

Harvard is off to a 2-0 start in the Frontier League after Tuesday’s 8-6 win over Agoura. In the Del Rey League, Crespi is favored to win the title, but Notre Dame Coach John Barnett believes upsets are inevitable. Notre Dame plays Crespi today at Valley College.

“Given the intensity of the Crespi-Notre Dame rivalry, we could beat Crespi,” Barnett said. “Because our league is very physical and competitive, it’s not uncommon to see a little blood in a Del Rey League game. Elbows and aggressive play, you just have to expect it.”

Crespi, which finished third in league last season, is led by seniors Chappie DeHaven and David Scott. DeHaven, an All-American swimmer in three events, had 47 goals last season. Scott scored 29 goals last year and is expected to be one of the league’s top scorers. Two-meter man Andy Carbonell is counted on to get the Celts back into the playoffs.

Barnett said his team’s chances ride on the shoulders of Scott Weber, who along with senior Josh Foster will do most of the Knights’ scoring this season. Foster, a left-side driver, and Weber, a two-meter man, were selected second-team all-league last season.

“For the most part, we are larger and faster than last year,” Barnett said.

Seniors Ben Gomperz, James McGroarty, Danny Ryan and Kurt Marsden, and junior Brad Craccholia, figure to give the Knights a balanced scoring attack this season.

In the Marmonte League, Royal is going after its sixth straight championship. Starters Greg Frazier and Todd Jacobson are returning.

Frazier, a senior, is the Highlanders’ two-meter man and has been an all-league selection the last two seasons. Jacobson, a senior goalie, was also all-league. He is the key to a defensive-oriented Royal team.

“Todd is a smart goalie,” said Snyder, who spent much of the summer with a club team touring Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii. “He can pinpoint a pass right on the money and he has great ability to go laterally in the goal.

“We spend the majority of time on the defense. The starters I put in the water are the ones I feel are the best defensively. It’s going to be a lot tougher to win the league this year. I give a couple of teams a good chance of knocking us off. But personally, I still rank us as No. 1.”

Newbury Park could challenge Royal for the league title. The Panthers tied for third with Westlake last season but missed the playoffs after losing a tie-breaker match.

Senior Matt Coates (6-0, 160), a first-team all-league outside shooter, scored eight goals in a 20-6 victory over Oxnard last month. He was one of several local athletes to travel with Snyder’s club team to Australia last summer.

Senior Troy Manning (6-1 1/2 185) is a two-meter man and isn’t afraid to shoot, Doman said. Goalie Jason Alberts (6-0, 170) and sophomore guard Avo Meneshian also are expected to contribute this season.