Harvard Proves Too Much for Outmanned Alemany : Prep water polo: Indians, winless in first year of varsity play, are swamped by defending Southern Section 3-A champion, 22-0.

It might have been David against Goliath on Tuesday afternoon at Harvard-Westlake High, but there was no giant-slaying in the Wolverines’ 22-0 victory over Alemany in a Mission League water polo match.

Even established programs like those at Crespi and Loyola have struggled against the Wolverines (23-2, 11-0 in Mission League play) this season. So it wasn’t surprising that Alemany--in its first year of water polo--found itself literally over its head against the defending Southern Section 3-A Division champs.

Led by Jason Manning, who had four goals and four assists, and David Brende, who contributed four goals and two assists, Harvard took a 6-0 lead after one quarter and doubled it to 12-0 at halftime. Jimmy Duff, Doug Kezerian and Dan Reeves added three goals each for the Wolverines, and Duff keyed the defensive effort with three steals.

So secure was Wolverine Coach Rich Corso that he didn’t suit up his top 15 players. He didn’t stick around for the end of the match, either. Corso, who doubles as the U.S. national team coach, left after the third quarter to attend a meeting. By then, it was 18-0.

“I don’t care how experienced you are, when you go up against Harvard, it’s an uphill battle,” Alemany co-Coach Walt Cannon said. “A lot of (the Alemany) kids had to learn to swim before they could play.”

The Indians (0-8, 0-8), who have only one senior and no athletes who had played water polo before this year, managed only 12 shots, none even close to scoring. Harvard goalies Teague McKnight and Jeff Immerman combined for nine saves to share the shutout.

If there was a highlight for Alemany, it was the play of junior goalie Skip Howard, who stopped 12 shots.

“He’s had a lot of practice at it,” Cannon said. “We’ve had a lot of people shooting at him this year.”