Wilson Takes Away Title Foothill Won Last Year

Long Beach Wilson broke through Orange County’s dominance of the Southern Section Division I water polo championship . . . again.

Wilson won its second Division I title in three years, posting an 8-6 victory over defending champion Foothill Wednesday at Belmont Plaza Pool before a crowd of 3,000.

Wilson is the only non-Orange County school to win the top-division championship since Downey won in 1972. Wilson also won the Division 4-A championship in 1981.

Top-seeded Wilson (27-2) jumped on second-seeded Foothill (26-3) early, scoring the first three goals to take control. Then, the Bruin defense, anchored by goalie Nick Hill (eight saves), held off Foothill’s comeback efforts.

Sean McEachern scored three goals and Peter Joseph scored two for Wilson, and more important, each scored key goals when Foothill closed to within one.

But Wilson Coach Ricardo Azevedo said the Bruins’ defensive effort was the major reason for the victory. Wilson held Foothill to one goal in the first 12 minutes and kept the Knights scoreless for an 8 1/2-minute stretch in the second half.

Although Wilson and Foothill split four games earlier this season--each decided by only one goal--Wilson stunned Foothill early and had its biggest lead, 5-1, with 2 minutes 32 seconds remaining in the second quarter.

“Wilson capitalized on their six-on-five situations early,” Foothill Coach Jim Brumm said. “We got ours later, but we didn’t score goals.

“We got some good looks and good scoring opportunities, we just didn’t put the ball in the goal.”

Foothill tried to close the gap, but each time the Knights pulled within one, Wilson answered.

In Division II:

El Dorado 15, Laguna Beach 12--Kendall Benson scored two of his six goals in the final three minutes to help unseeded El Dorado (24-6) win its first title since 1987.

Spencer Dornin scored five goals for third-seeded Laguna Beach (23-8), which tied it, 11-11, with 2:47 remaining before the Golden Hawks scored three consecutive goals.

In Division VI:

Los Altos 10, Rowland 7--Adam Guerrero scored two of his three goals in the first quarter helping Los Altos take the early lead and win its first water polo title. Sean Smith scored three goals for Rowland, which was seeking its third consecutive title.