PREP ROUNDUP : Corona del Mar Lead Doesn’t Fade Away

The adrenaline rush faded after the first quarter, but Corona del Mar’s lead in its water polo match against Newport Harbor didn’t.

After opening a 3-0 lead early, the Sea Kings held on and defeated the Sailors, 7-5, Wednesday at Newport Harbor to take an early hold on the Sea View League race.

Corona del Mar (6-3, 2-0), ranked No. 3 in Orange County, started quickly against the seventh-ranked Sailors (5-3, 1-1). Brian Codori, Crosby Grant and Tom Norton each scored first-quarter goals for the Sea Kings.

“It’s the Newport-Corona rivalry thing,” Corona del Mar Coach John Vargas said. “We used emotion to get the early lead, but that (emotion) doesn’t last.”

Newport Harbor closed to 4-3 just before halftime on a four-meter penalty shot by Brian McAllister. The Sailors, who outswam the Sea Kings and took better shots in the second quarter, scored at the 4-minute 6-second mark of the second quarter when McAllister got his first goal of the match.

Codori added another goal 14 seconds later to make it 4-1, but Eric Sherwin and McAllister closed out the half with goals to bring Newport Harbor within one.

The Sea Kings started the third quarter as they started the match, scoring the first two goals of the second half to extend the lead to 6-3. Parker McMeekan and Grant scored two minutes apart early in the quarter.

A late goal by Brett McAllister made it 6-4 and appeared to give the Sailors momentum going into the fourth quarter.

Vargas took notice of the shift of momentum and made the Sea Kings aware of the situation. “I told them we couldn’t afford to let them keep the momentum,” Vargas said. “We had to play another whole quarter like we did the first quarter.”

The Sailors cut their deficit to 6-5 with 5:07 left on Gabe Wyatt’s goal, but Corona del Mar’s defense took control from that point and allowed Newport Harbor few good scoring opportunities. McMeekan’s goal with 2:48 left clinched the victory for the Sea Kings.

In other Sea View League play:

Tustin 9, Saddleback 4--Tony Lewis scored five goals for host Tustin (5-7, 2-0).

In Sunset League water polo:

Marina 27, Huntington Beach 5--Justin Macklin scored four goals to help Marina to victory. Teammates Bryan Akian, Paul Ligeois, Tim DeVries and Matt Braun each scored three goals for the Vikings (10-2, 2-0). Huntington Beach is 0-2 in league.

In nonleague water polo:

Costa Mesa 7, La Habra 4--Sam Grayeli had three goals for visiting Costa Mesa (6-5).

Laguna Hills 17, Simi Valley--Gill Kaufman scored five goals and Robbie Apple added four for Laguna Hills (2-6).

Magnolia 11, Cypress 5--Mustafa Hassan and Jeremy Workman each scored three goals for host Magnolia (10-3).

El Modena 18, Western 4--Scott Mitchell scored six goals and John Montrella five for host El Modena (8-3).

In nonleague girls’ tennis:

Dana Hills 12, Corona del Mar 6--Dana Hills’ Anna Zaricki won each of her singles sets, including a 6-3 victory over Marcie Asch, who hadn’t lost a set this season.

Dana Hills (5-2) is ranked third in Division I; Corona del Mar (6-1) is ranked sixth.

Jenny Glasgow and Kristine Winton swept in doubles, 7-6, 6-2, 6-4, for the host Sea Kings. Dana Hills’ No. 2 doubles team of Michele Johnson and Katie Tierney, both freshmen, won two out of three sets despite an injury. Tierney suffered a back injury midway through the first set, but continued to play.

Capistrano Valley 14, Foothill 4--Maria Nguyen won her singles sets, 6-4, 6-2, 6-0, and the doubles teams of Jennie Canfield and Sydney Weinberg and Jenny Chang and Ashley Taylor each swept their sets to lead the host Cougars (1-4) to their first victory of the season. Foothill is 0-6.

Mater Dei 11, Rosary 7--The doubles teams of Trisha Abe and Cheri Ota and Sarah Jarrett and Julie Lighthipe swept their sets for Mater Dei (5-2). It was Mater Dei’s first victory in two years against former Angelus League rival Rosary.

Marina 11, Beverly Hills 7--The No. 2 doubles team of Holly Meyers and Ashley Goldsmith swept, 6-0, 7-6, 6-3, for Marina (6-1). Beverly Hills is 3-3.

Laguna Beach 12, El Toro 6--Lindsay Weiss (6-3, 6-0, 6-0) and Michelle Bray (7-5, 7-6, 6-1) swept in singles for Laguna Beach (6-1), ranked second in Division II. The No. 1 doubles team of Amanda Hastings-Phillips and Tara Kunert swept, 7-6, 6-0, 7-6. El Toro is 4-3.