La Canada Claims Prep Water Polo Title

Larry Naeve had been there before, but it didn’t compare to this.

The La Canada High water polo coach had just watched his team come from behind to defeat two-time defending division champion Bell Gardens, 7-6, Tuesday night in the Southern Section Division III final at the Belmont Plaza pool in Long Beach.

Naeve coached La Canada’s last division champion in 1979. After his son Brendan was born in 1980, Naeve resigned. But when Brendan joined the La Canada water polo team in 1994, the elder Naeve returned as coach.

“This is so much a different thing,” Larry Naeve said. “It’s totally different when your own kid grabs you, tells you he loves you then grabs you and throws you in the pool and says, ‘We did it.’ ”

La Canada (26-5) trailed, 4-2, at halftime, but took its first lead at 7-6 when junior Charles Chang fired a 15-foot shot past Bell Gardens goalie Ivan Esquivel with 4:10 to play.

Goalie Russell Bernstein and the Spartan defense took over from there. Bernstein had four of his saves in the last four minutes, including two when Bell Gardens (27-4) had a six-on-five advantage.

Chang, Michael McDay and Brandon Goode each had two goals for La Canada.

Brenda Villa, a member of the U.S. women’s national team, led the Lancers with three goals.

Jurupa Valley 17, Arlington 14--Greg Lonzo had 10 goals, including three in overtime to lead the Jaguars to their third consecutive Division V title.

The score was tied, 12-12, entering overtime, but Lonzo scored three times as Jurupa Valley opened a 17-13 lead.

Goalie Evan McIntosh had seven saves for the Jaguars.

Jeremiah Johnston had four goals for Arlington.