Foothill Standout Will Miss Tournament

Santa Ana Foothill will be without one of its top players when it participates in the TruWest Memorial Cup boys’ water polo tournament today and Saturday in San Jose.

Damjan Dudic, a foreign-exchange student from Serbia and Montenegro, was suspended for five games because of his actions last Friday in a nonleague game against Villa Park at Orange High.

Dudic, a senior, was ejected from the game for punching an opposing player, then pulled down his swimsuit and exposed his backside to an angry Villa Park spectator before causing damage to a trailer on his way to the bench.

“It was not appropriate, no matter what the situation,” said Foothill boys’ Athletic Director Vince Brown, who was at the game.

According to Southern Section policy, Dudic was automatically suspended for one game for the ejection, but the school’s athletic council decided to extend the suspension to five games, Brown said.

Foothill, which is ranked No. 2 in the Southern Section Division I coaches’ poll, this season reached the final of the S&R; Sport Cup in Irvine after Dudic made a game-winning shot in a semifinal.

The Knights lost in the championship game to top-ranked Long Beach Wilson, which is also entered in this weekend’s 16-team tournament at San Jose Bellarmine and Lynbrook highs.

*

Villa Park is among the favorites at the North Orange County tournament that continues today and Saturday at Anaheim Servite, Whittier, Brea Olinda, Irvine Northwood, Anaheim Esperanza and Downey highs. The championship game will be played at 2 p.m. Saturday at Servite.

The Spartans, ranked No. 1 in Division II, opened the tournament Monday with a 12-9 victory over No. 3 Servite. Participants in the round-robin tournament include Montebello, ranked No. 2 in Division III; Santa Barbara, No. 3 in Division IV; and Riverside Poly, No. 1 in Division V.