Foothill Is Getting Along Swimmingly

The Southern Section Division I girls’ water polo playoffs may have one of its toughest fields, but there’s no question which team is the overwhelming favorite.

Top-seeded Foothill has a 19-game winning streak, and among the victories is a 5-4 win Feb. 3 over Bell Gardens--to end the Lancers’ 85-game winning streak--in the final of the Irvine Southern California Championships.

The Knights, the defending Division I champions, have won 33 of their last 34. Foothill’s only loss in that stretch was Dec. 29 to Newport Harbor, 5-3, in the Newport-Harbor Corona del Mar tournament.

In that game, the Knights played without leading scorers Brittany Hayes and Gabbie Domanic. The two sophomores missed that tournament to play with the youth national team in Montreal.

But Foothill coaches Dave Mikesell and Dan Klatt did pick Marina, the Knights’ quarterfinal opponent at 7 tonight at Tustin High, as their preseason No. 1 team in the county.

But that was three months ago.

“We’ll have to slow them down in the first half,” Marina Coach Johnny Bega said. “And we’ll have to put balls away. We can’t give them opportunities to counter.”

And the Vikings will also need top defensive efforts from Cara Chlebicki, Erin Wilson, Kendra Shanley and goalie Sarah Mix to stay close to the fast, high-scoring Knights.

DIVISION I

Today’s top matchup is at noon, when Newport Harbor, which finished ranked third in the Orange County Coaches’ poll, plays at fifth-ranked El Toro.

Third-seeded Newport Harbor is led by junior Katherine Belden and senior Jenna Booth. El Toro is led by junior Ke’ala Carter and senior Nicole Sonnenfeld.

Two other quarterfinal games follow at El Toro High. At 3:15 p.m., second-seeded Santa Margarita plays Los Alamitos, and at 4:30, fourth-seeded Capistrano Valley plays Long Beach Wilson.

DIVISION IV

Fourth-seeded Laguna Beach, which lost to Palos Verdes Peninsula on Feb. 2 in overtime, 7-5, gets a rematch in today’s quarterfinals at 3:15 p.m. at Laguna Beach High.

“The girls are excited to get to play them again,” Laguna Beach Coach Rick Scott said.

Teresa Codini leads the Artists with 98 goals and 49 assists, and Laura Case has a team-high 66 steals.

Top-seeded Corona del Mar, which reached the Division IV final last season, hosts Orange League champion Brea Olinda at 3:15 p.m.

Empire League champion El Dorado plays at third-seeded Santa Monica and second-seeded University plays at Golden West League champion Tustin.

The semifinals for both divisions are Friday with the finals Monday at Belmont Plaza in Long Beach.

If you have an item or idea for the girls’ water polo report, you can fax us at (714) 966-5663 or e-mail us at: mike.itagaki@latimes.com