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Forget About the O.C.?

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Times Staff Writer

Since the Southern Section began separating the boys’ water polo playoffs into more than one division in 1974, only two seasons have passed without an Orange County team in the Division I final.

This year could mark the third.

North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake and Long Beach Wilson have emerged as the favorites to advance to the Division I championship game on Nov. 25 at Long Beach Belmont Plaza.

The teams with the best chances of beating them along the way are all from Orange County — Lake Forest El Toro, Newport Harbor, Santa Ana Foothill and San Clemente — but they are a combined 1-9 this season against the Wolverines and Bruins.

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“That’s the bad news,” said El Toro Coach Don Stoll, whose team defeated Wilson, 4-3, on Sept. 26 in the South Coast tournament. “The good news is there’s no team [as good as] Wilson [was last season]. Any team can win.”

Wilson went unbeaten last season en route to its second consecutive Division I title and its sixth in seven seasons. The Bruins have a much younger team this season, but are still considered one of the most skilled in the Southland, particularly in their home pool at Belmont Plaza.

Wilson had been the only team to defeat Division II power Anaheim Servite this season until last Wednesday, when the Friars lost to host Harvard-Westlake.

Some say desire alone makes Harvard-Westlake the favorite this year. Coach Richard Corso guided the Wolverines to the Division I finals in 1992, 1998 and 2001, but the Wolverines came up short each time.

“[Corso] has the hunger factor,” Stoll said. “He has never won a Division I title, the rest of us have. Corso is driven this season to make sure it’s his year.”

Newport Harbor finished best among the five Orange County teams that participated in the Tru-West Memorial tournament in San Jose two weeks ago. The Sailors placed fourth after losing to Wilson, 7-6, in the third-place game.

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Newport Harbor had earlier defeated Santa Ana Foothill by one goal and lost to Harvard-Westlake, 10-6, in the semifinals.

El Toro defeated Newport Harbor at the South Coast tournament in their only meeting this season. The Chargers have victories over Foothill, San Clemente and Los Alamitos this month.

Charging Chargers

El Toro is still remembered for its success in football during the 1980s and ‘90s, winning three section titles and several league titles. But its water polo team recently reached a milestone never accomplished by any team at the school.

With their 9-7 victory over San Clemente on Thursday, the Chargers won their 25th consecutive league game.

Not Done Yet

Daniel Carson and his Newbury Park teammates wanted to push their coach into the pool on Thursday to celebrate the school’s first Marmonte League title in 23 years. But, at the last second, the Panthers decided to save it for later.

“That would have been like saying we are satisfied with winning league,” said Carson, who had three goals and seven assists in the 30-2 victory over Moorpark. “We want to win CIF as well, so we didn’t do anything.”

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Carson, one of only three seniors on the team, believes the Panthers have a good chance to advance deep into the Division IV playoffs. Newbury Park (24-3, 11-1) will host San Luis Obispo in a first-round game at 3:15 p.m. on Thursday.

Before Simi Valley Royal began a string of 16 consecutive league titles in 1981, Newbury Park was a dominant team in the Marmonte League, winning six league championships from 1975 to 1980.

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