Nollan Family Knows Topic on the Table

The conversation turns to water polo quicker than Mike Nollan can say, “Pass the gravy.”

Nollan is coach of the girls’ team at Palos Verdes Peninsula High. His oldest son, Sean, coaches at Ocean League rival Redondo, enjoying the comforts of home while attending Cal State Dominguez Hills. That may change after Feb. 6, when Redondo plays host to Peninsula in the regular season finale.

“The dinner table conversations can get interesting,” said Mike Nollan, a goalkeeper at USC from 1960-63 and a member of the first boys’ water polo team at Inglewood Morningside High. If Mike and Sean Nollan don’t cause enough chatter around the dinner table, another son, Christopher, recently completed his freshman season at Manhattan Beach Mira Costa, where Sean played for his father and was an American Swimming Coaches Assn. All-American in 1994.

“There’s nothing but talk of water polo going on,” said Mike Nollan. “My wife [Phyllis] has become one of the more knowledgeable fans just from listening to us.”

There should be plenty of talk at tonight’s gathering. Peninsula is scheduled to play in the opening rounds of the Newport Harbor/Corona del Mar tournament. The Panthers (5-4) begin play at 8:30 a.m. at Newport Harbor High against Santa Margarita, the second-ranked team by The Times. Peninsula will play an afternoon game against either Santa Ynez or Irvine University, depending on how they finish against Santa Margarita.

The tournament features top teams from Santa Barbara to Poway in two eight-team brackets. The semifinals are set for Saturday at 9:35 and 11:45 a.m. and the championship game is at 4:05 p.m.

The tournament was originally scheduled to begin Thursday and include 18 teams, as it had in previous seasons.

But organizers decided to reduce the tournament to two days when only 16 teams entered.

The change created some confusion for Nollan, who thought the tournament would last two days beginning on Thursday.

He found out last week of the new format, too late for one of his best players, Nellie Sadaghiani, to change vacation plans.

“She has a plane ticket to Lake Tahoe and she couldn’t exchange it,” Nollan said. “But she’ll be able to play in the Friday games.”

Nollan received some good news when sophomore goalkeeper Natalie Kim was able to change plans and remain in town through Saturday.

Nollan said the late change in dates added to an already hectic time of year, but he’s happy he found out in time.

“I would have looked like a real idiot if I had showed up on Thursday,” Nollan said. “I’ve been coaching for 35 years and the whole time I’ve lived in fear of showing up at the wrong place or at the wrong time.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

A look at the top 10 girls’ water polo teams in the Southland:

1. Foothill (4-0, SS-Century)

Knights could face Corona del Mar in tournament play today.

2. Santa Margarita (3-0, SS-Serra)

Eagles will be without four key players this weekend.

3. Bell Gardens (8-0, SS-Marmont)

Lancers have three-week layoff before beginning league play.

4. El Toro (7-0, SS-South Coast)

Chargers bolted past Irvine University, 9-4, on Dec. 20.

5. Corona del Mar

(5-0, SS-Pacific Coast)

Sea Kings won battle of the Bay against Newport Harbor last week.

6. Newport Harbor (4-1, SS-Sea View)

Jessica Ball leads the Sailors with 13 goals.

7. San Clemente

(10-1, SS-South Coast)

Tritons’ only loss is to Foothill; next game Jan. 8 against Long Beach Wilson.

8. Anaheim Canyon (6-3, SS-Century)

Next game is Thursday against Placentia El Dorado at home.

9. Long Beach Wilson

(2-3, SS-Moore)

Cassie Azevedo playing well for the Bruins, despite their slow start.

10. Arlington (7-2, SS-Ivy)

Lions off until Jan. 8, but all eyes focused on Riverside North game Jan. 9.