No Stopping Wilson in Water Polo

Long Beach Wilson so thoroughly dominated the South Coast water polo tournament, the Bruins could have won the title playing a man down. Or two.

Wilson, No. 1 in The Times’ rankings and the Southern Section Division I poll, pretty much did so during a 14-9 trouncing of Anaheim Servite in the tournament final Saturday at Newport Harbor High.

Servite, ranked No. 2 by The Times and No. 1 in Division II, had seven man-advantage opportunities but scored on only one. Early in the fourth quarter, Wilson was whistled for two ejection fouls within 10 seconds giving Servite a two-man advantage, but the Wilson defense held tight and did not allow a score.

Wilson held Servite without a goal from the last minute of the third quarter until the Friars scored with five seconds left in the game.

“Without question defense is the strength of our team,” Wilson Coach Tony Martinho said.

Twice during the second quarter, Wilson scored short-handed goals. Clint Wilson made a steal at mid-pool and outsprinted two Servite defenders for a score that gave Wilson a 5-4 lead with three minutes left in the half. Garrit Barth did the same with 41 seconds left to give Wilson a 7-5 halftime lead.

Clint Wilson finished with four goals for the Bruins (8-0). Barth and John Foster each had three, and goalie Brent LaBounty had 11 saves.

Patrick Buckner had four goals for Servite (6-1).

Peter Yoon

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Murrieta Valley placed third in the girls’ race of champions in the Great American Cross-Country Festival at Ballantyne Resort in Charlotte, N.C., on Saturday.

The Nighthawks, led by Liza Pasciuto’s 12th-place finish, totaled 207 points. Saratoga Springs (N.Y.), the top-ranked team in the nation, placed first with 100 points and Jenks (Okla.) was second with 150.

Anaheim Esperanza, behind Alison Costello’s ninth-place finish, placed 11th with 337 points.

Long Beach Poly placed 10th in the boys’ race of champions with a 298 points.

Mountain View (Utah) edged Hilliard Davidson (Ohio), 125-135, for the team title.