High School Roundup: Newport Harbor boys’ water polo advances to CIF SoCal Regional Final

Ben Liechty and Mason Hunt each scored three goals as the Newport Harbor High School boys’ water polo team edged Studio City Harvard-Westlake 9-8 in a CIF State Southern California Regional Division I semifinal match Thursday evening at Newport Harbor.

Gage Verdegaal added two goals for top-seeded Newport Harbor (28-5). Will Fosselman scored once.

Goalkeeper Cooper Mathisrud made nine saves, including one on a late Harvard-Westlake six-on-five advantage.

The Sailors will host No. 3-seeded Mater Dei in the Division I title match Saturday at 5 p.m. Newport Harbor and Mater Dei have split two previous matches this season, including a 10-9 Sailors win in the CIF Southern Section Open Division semifinals on Nov. 10.

Mater Dei 12, Huntington Beach 11: Vince Merk’s goal with four seconds left in the fourth quarter lifted the Monarchs in the CIF State Southern California Regional Division I semifinal match Thursday at Westminster High.

The Oilers had rallied from a 6-2 first-half deficit to take a 10-9 lead, but that would be their only lead of the game.

Nikola Mirkovic had four goals and three assists for No. 2-seeded Huntington Beach, the Surf League champion, which finished its season 25-4 overall.

James Rozolis-Hill scored twice for the Oilers, while Tas Palcza, Ryder Dodd, Matthew Morgan and Ethan Spoon scored one goal each. Goalkeeper Gabriel Haddad made 12 saves.

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Corona del Mar 77, Fairmont San Juan Capistrano 48: The Sea Kings rolled to an easy win in their season opener, Jason Simco’s first game as head coach, Thursday at CdM.

Ilan Agranovich scored 13 points for CdM, and George Bruening added 12 points. Jack Johnson and Dylan Rogers scored 10 points each.

Aliso Niguel 50, Laguna Beach 47: The Breakers narrowly fell in their nonleague season opener Thursday at Laguna Beach High.

Jackson Sirianni had a team-high 16 points for the Breakers, who also received 13 points from Kai Gillies.

Ocean View 75, Laguna Hills 65: Chico Lopez scored a game-high 39 points to lead the host Seahawks on Thursday in a Jim Harris Memorial Tournament game.

Peyton Guerrero added 15 points for Ocean View (2-1), which will face Portola in the consolation bracket final on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Newport Harbor 41, Tustin 37: Chase Dionio had 21 points and 10 steals to send the Sailors past the Tillers on Thursday in a nonleague game on the road.

Emma Coatsworth had 12 points, 12 rebounds and five steals for Newport Harbor (2-0). Emma Fults added two points, seven rebounds and four steals.

Villa Park 44, Fountain Valley 40: Hannah Walsh, Margaret Tengan and Audrey Tengan scored eight points apiece for the Barons in Thursday’s game in the Villa Park-Portola Kickoff Classic.

Eileen Kim also scored seven points for Fountain Valley (1-2).

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