Los Alamitos’ boys water polo team notched a large piece of payback Wednesday night that might ultimately send the Griffins back to the postseason.
Paul Carey scored five goals and center Adam Lott added four to help Los Alamitos open the Sunset League with a 12-8 victory against nemesis Edison at Newport Harbor.
Goalie Steve Mori collected 13 saves to help the Griffins (4-8, 1-0) cool off Edison (12-8, 0-1), which was coming off recent victories against Santa Margarita and Capistrano Valley.
Last season, Edison beat Los Alamitos twice in league, including once in a playoff that helped squeeze the Griffins from the playoffs.
Los Alamitos played both matches last November without Lott, who was out with a torn rotator cuff.
“I was heartbroken when I couldn’t play last year,” said Lott, now a 6-foot-3, 215-pound senior.
“It’s always great to come back and get some revenge. Personally, this was the one game I really wanted to focus on, the one game I wanted to win.”
The Griffins outscored Edison, 6-0, in the second quarter to open a 7-2 lead at halftime. Los Alamitos didn’t allow the Chargers to get closer than three goals in the second half.
Carey netted three goals in the second while fellow senior PJ DeSoto scored two of his three goals. Los Alamitos scored three counterattack goals in the second and added a penalty strike by Carey.
Mori highlighted the second with three consecutive near point-blank saves in a duel against Edison’s Alex Nathan.
“This (victory) is going to help us out big-time,” Los Alamitos coach Brent Danna said. “This could be big for third place. It’s just big in general. We have a huge rivalry with Edison. The guys had a sour taste in their mouth from last year.”
Nathan, Michael Allende and Cole Heydorff each scored twice for Edison.
In other Sunset games:
Newport Harbor 12, Fountain Valley 6: Connor Turnbow-Lindenstadt, a transfer from Corona del Mar, scored five goals to lead the host Sailors.
Huntington Beach 19, Marina 6: Attacker Skyler Munatones scored seven goals to pace the defending champion Oilers at Newport Harbor.
MOLTHEN SUSPENDED
Sophomore standout Ash Molthen of Orange Lutheran will begin a two-game suspension starting with today’s game against Mater Dei because he played for the U.S. national team over the weekend in a match against the Olympic club, Lancers coach Steve Carrera said. Molthen violated the section’s rules on outside competition.
“It’s a huge blow,” said Carrera, who added that the left-handed will also miss the Lancers’ league game against Servite next week.
Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com
