Capistrano Valley Pounds El Toro in First-Round Game

Capistrano Valley made it look simple as the Cougars routed El Toro, 13-4, in a Southern Section Division I first-round boys’ water polo playoff game Thursday at Saddleback College.

Capistrano Valley (20-8), which will play Newport Harbor in a second-round game Tuesday, started the game cautiously as Jeff Felli and Dennis Connolly scored two goals in the first quarter for a 2-0 lead.

But after adapting to the Chargers’ defense, the South Coast League champions scored nine goals in the second and third quarters.

“We didn’t take this game lightly,” Cougar Coach Jason Lynch said. “El Toro has a strong tradition when it comes to water polo, and is not the type of team that rolls over.”

For El Toro (12-14), the game seemed like an exercise in frustration as the Cougar defense stifled the Chargers, giving up only 11 shots.

“El Toro has a very decent team,” Lynch said. “So I’m very happy with our defense and how they played today.”

Seniors Xander Dean and Nick Booth each had three goals to lead the Cougars. Felli, Connolly, Nick Booth and Ryan Keating scored twice for Capistrano Valley.

Eric Meadows, who wasn’t exactly busy in goal with five saves, was instrumental in at least four of Capistrano Valley’s goals as his pinpoint passing from the box and his heads-up play contributed to the offense.

“That’s one down,” Lynch said. “This next game should be a bit harder. We played them [Newport Harbor] once this season and they beat us, 9-6. So I imagine that this second-round game will be very heated.”

The two teams will meet at 3:15 p.m. Tuesday at Saddleback College.