NEWPORT BEACH – Laguna Beach’s girls water polo team heard about the talk before the Holiday Cup final Saturday that maybe it hadn’t been playing with its trademark intensity.
“That made everyone kind of angry,” goalie Holly Parker said.
The reigning CIF Division 1 champion Breakers then proceeded to show why opponents would be wise not to doubt them this winter.
Sisters Makenzie and Aria Fischer each scored five goals and Parker made 13 saves, including one on a penalty, as No. 1 Laguna Beach defended its title with a 13-3 victory against No. 2 Foothill in the final at Newport Harbor.
During a final session marked by overtime games and Newport Harbor coach Bill Barnett’s determination, Laguna Beach (9-0) burst through by scoring the final eight goals and holding Foothill (9-1) scoreless for the final 11 minutes, 42 seconds.
The play was often physical, drawing two double exclusions to be whistled. Laguna Beach took 10 exclusions overall; Foothill 11.
The Breakers held the Knights to a 1-for-7 effort with the power play and converted 4 of 8 chances with the extra attacker.
“I think anybody who is says we’re not hungry and watches us play defense is pretty silly because we’re playing some pretty darn good defense right now,” Laguna Beach coach Ethan Damato said.
“I thought the girls looked really hungry and played really well.”
Laguna Beach, which has won 30 consecutive games, defeated Newport Harbor, 7-3, in the semifinals and dominated the second half against Foothill. The Knights trimmed Laguna Beach’s lead to 5-3 on a power-play strike by Cana Manzella off a pass by Valerie Ayala with 4:42 left in the third. It was all Laguna Beach after that.
Makenzie Fischer highlighted the surge in the third with a field block against the power play and then skipped a perimeter shot in off the post on the ensuing possession. Aria Fischer scored the first three goals of the fourth in three ways: perimeter shot, set strike and on a penalty shot that she drew.
Laguna Beach also got three steals and three assists from Bella Baldridge, two steals and two assists from Natalie Selin and strong 2-meter defense from Mia Salvini.
“We came together as a team,” said Parker, who blocked a penalty early in the second to protect a 4-0 lead.
In the semifinals, Foothill beat Corona del Mar in overtime, 11-9, behind six goals by Julia Sellers, who netted two in overtime.
“Our girls actually played really hard (against Laguna Beach),” Foothill assistant Greg Enloe said. “They gave the effort that we needed but we just aren’t there yet. We got to work on extra-man defense. We got to work on releasing. We got to work on leg strength. We got to work on finishing.”
The Knights won’t have much time for that work before they see Laguna Beach again. They play host to the Breakers in a nonleague game on Thursday.
In the third-place game:
No. 3 Newport Harbor 7, No. 4 Corona del Mar 6 (OT): Katie Kearns scored from 6 meters with 13 seconds left in the second three-minute overtime and Rachel Whitelegge blocked a last-second shot in the field from Maddie Musselman as the Sailors (6-3) edged the Sea Kings (4-3) for a second time.
Barnett is recovering from a complications from hip surgery but used a walker and antibiotic pump on deck. “I’m all right, just tired,” said Barnett, who is retiring after the season.
Barnett was still his demanding-self, however, saying that his attackers needed to play better. And he relished the victory against his Back Bay rival. He missed the Sailors’ triumph last month against Corona del Mar because he was in the hospital.
“It’s always fun to beat Corona,” he said.
Kearns came off the bench to score a match-high four goals. Her game-winning strike was set up by a pass from Kate Pipkin, who drew a foul outside 5 meters for the free throw.
Both goalies played well. Carlee Kapana made 14 saves, including four against the power-play, for Newport Harbor while Heidi Ritner collected 15 for Corona del Mar. The Sea Kings finished 2 for 9 on the power-play; Newport went 2 for 5.
In the fifth-place game:
No. 6 Orange Lutheran 11, Coronado 10 (OT): Campbell Ruh scored on a cross-cage shot in the second three-minute overtime to lift the Lancers (11-2), who got five goals from Emma Skelly.
“That was a great game for us,” Lancers coach Steve Carrera said. “Coronado is a phenomenal program for us.”
Orange Lutheran almost won the game in regulation but Stanford-bound Cassidy Wiley of Coronado (6-3) scored on a power-play just before the fourth-period buzzer to force overtime and a 9-9 tie. The Lancers took a 9-8 lead on a counter strike by Mollie Simmons with 32 seconds left in the fourth.
In the fifth-place semifinals, Orange Lutheran defeated Santa Margarita, 7-6, for its first victory against the Eagles.
Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com
