Top Teams Ready for Showdown

For all intents and purposes, this is how it was supposed to be.

La Canada and Crescenta Valley highs were destined to meet in the Southern Section Division III boys’ water polo final at 7 tonight at Belmont Plaza Pool in Long Beach.

La Canada (25-3) and Crescenta Valley (25-2) have been ranked Nos. 1 and 2 nearly all season in the division and enter the final as the top two seeded teams.

Although both teams have played strong schedules and enjoyed success, Crescenta Valley Coach Pete Loporchio considers his Falcons underdogs.

“We’ve told our kids we have nothing to lose,” Loporchio said. “We’re not the No. 1 seed, so I don’t think the pressure is on us.”

Despite the schools’ close proximity, La Canada and Crescenta Valley haven’t met since 1997.

The Spartans, enjoying the finest season in school history, are playing in the final for the first time since winning the Division III title in 1997.

Crescenta Valley, which lost in the quarterfinals a year ago, is making its second appearance in the final. The Falcons were runners-up in the 3-A Division in 1976.

In the only other final involving a team from the region, No. 3 Royal (24-6) plays top-seeded and defending champion Righetti (27-1) for the Division IV championship at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at UC Santa Barbara.

Royal scored seven goals in the fourth quarter to overcome a two-goal deficit in a 12-10 victory over No. 2-seeded Santa Barbara in the semifinals.