Sailors Defeat No. 1 Spartans

Newport Harbor took a big step toward regaining the No. 1 ranking it held to open the season with a 6-4 victory over Villa Park Tuesday in a nonleague water polo game at Newport Harbor.

The Sailors (12-4) began the season as the top-ranked team in the Southern Section Division I poll, but after early losses to Long Beach Wilson, Coronado and Villa Park, they tumbled as low as No. 6.

Despite a recent loss to Corona del Mar, the top-ranked team in Division II and the county, Newport Harbor has slowly climbed back to No. 2 in Division I, and Tuesday’s victory against the top-ranked Spartans (17-3) could put them back on top.

“We’ve been up and down all year,” Newport Harbor Coach Brian Kreutzkamp said. “We started at No. 1 and then we took a nose dive. Now our defense is really clicking and so is the team.”

It was a defensive struggle in the rematch, but the Sailors stepped it up a notch in the final quarter. They forced seven turnovers and allowed only one shot by Villa Park--a man-advantage goal by T.J. Matijevich that pulled the Spartans within one goal at 5-4 with 2 minutes 53 seconds remaining.

“For the defense to hold the No. 1 team to only four goals is pretty impressive,” Kreutzkamp said. “We have been giving up way too many goals this season.”

Along with seven saves from goalkeeper Brandon McLain, the Sailor defense blocked six of the Spartans’ 18 shots before they reached the goal.

Villa Park had an opportunity to close the gap early in the fourth quarter when McLain committed a exclusion foul, leaving open Newport Harbor’s goal. However, while the Sailors struggled to plug the empty net, Villa Park turned over the ball and ended the threat.

The Sailors took 23 shots, but seven were knocked down by Spartan goalkeeper Jared Jones, and six went off the crossbar and the posts.

In the Golden West League:

Tustin 15, Santa Ana 6--Kevin Mills scored six goals and Michael Colby added three for Tustin, which led 9-3 at halftime. Jason Zitney made 12 saves for the Tillers (9-7, 2-0). Jose Gutierrez scored three times for Santa Ana (0-2 in league).

In the Orange League:

Brea Olinda 15, Western 4--Rory Nelson scored three goals for the host Wildcats (10-6, 4-0). Western is 9-5, 2-2.