NEWPORT BEACH Huntington Beach’s quest to reign over Sunset League boys water polo wasn’t completed Wednesday night, but the Oilers made a bold move that might be remembered for some time.
The fifth-ranked Oilers used a suffocating defense and swift counterattack to defeat No. 8 Newport Harbor, 11-5, in the league opener that lost its drama in the first half at Newport Harbor High.
Huntington Beach (11-4, 1-0) scored the first six goals and never was challenged in a display rarely delivered to a Newport Harbor team in its own pool.
“It’s hugely rare,” said Huntington Beach interim coach Chris Kaps, a veteran of stops at Fountain Valley, La Quinta and Bolsa Grande. “It’s phenomenal, and it’s (because of) them (the players).”
Huntington Beach, seeking its first league title since 1983, handed the five-time defending league champion Sailors (4-12, 0-1) their first league defeat since 2008 when Los Alamitos beat Newport Harbor, 7-5, en route to the league crown.
The Oilers posted the victory with the kind of defense and counterattacks Newport Harbor has been known for over the years. Senior goalie Alex Wolf made five of his 13 saves in the opening period while sophmore Quinten Osborne, senior Noah Nelson and junior James Vlachonassios led an active defense that racked up the field blocks.
Osborne, a center best-known for scoring, collected a team-high three field blocks. The defense fed a counterattack that netted four goals.
“Defense is what we stress, especially with Alex in the cage as an anchor,” said Huntington Beach sophomore Ethan Wojciechowski, who scored a team-high three goals. “Ever since the loss (to Newport Harbor) last year … we’ve been amped for this game.”
Osborne, Vlachonassios and junior Skyler Munatones each added two goals for the Oilers. Sophomore Matt Robert and Nelson each added one apiece,
Clay Davison scored five goals, including two on penalties and another on a Newport Harbor power play that finished 1 for 7. Huntington Beach finished 2 for 6 with the extra attacker.
A Newport Harbor player received a red card late in the third period with the Oilers leading, 9-2, but Huntington Beach’s defense remained the theme of the match. But was Huntington Beach’s convincing victory also a signal of a changing of the guard in the Sunset League.
“That’s the plan,” Wojciechowski said. “We’re a really young team. We have a lot of returners coming back next year.”
In other Sunset League games:
Los Alamitos 9, Fountain Valley 8: The Barons scored twice in the final minute to draw within one but the Griffins held on behind four goals by Trevor Lees and five from Adam Lott.
Edison 14, Marina 5: Alex Nathan scored seven goals to pace the Chargers.
Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com
